Ladybugs are insects from the Coleoptera group, characterized by their tiny sizes, diversity of colors and body patterns, which range from very striking to others more monochromatic. In this sense, they are particularly small beetles that are quite widespread throughout the world and, although with certain exceptions, are beneficial for many agricultural plantations due to their predatory action on certain pests, which makes them good biological controllers. Now, how do these little animals develop? Do they go through different stages?
In this article on our site we want to present you with information on how ladybugs reproduce and are born. Keep reading and discover the reproductive biology of these peculiar insects.
Ladybug Breeding Season
Ladybugs are a very diverse type of beetle, so the specific breeding season may vary depending on the species No However, they share a common feature and that is that during the presence of extreme temperatures or conditions, even after copulation, they do not continue the reproductive cycle because the environmental conditions are not favorable.
In this sense, these insects, when they live in places with cold temperatures or where there are periods of drought, enter a diapause period, so no playback occurs during this process. In the event that mating has occurred just before a season with inappropriate conditions, the female enters this "pause" period with the sperm stored until this season ends and the reproductive process continues. This occurs, for example, in the seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata).
Some specific examples of the breeding season of ladybugs are as follows:
- Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata): from spring to early summer, in some cases lasting until autumn.
- Nine-spot Ladybird (Coccinella novemnotata): during the summer.
- Asian ladybug (Harmonia axyridis): with temperatures above 12 ºC.
- Spotted ladybug (Coleomegilla maculata): generally all year round.
- Convergent ladybird (Hippodamia convergens): early spring or fall.
Do you want to learn more about the Types of ladybugs that exist? Do not miss this article!
How do ladybugs reproduce?
Ladybugs have sexual reproduction and internal fertilization and, unlike other types of beetles, have a much longer adult phase than the other stages through which it passes. Thus, it has a development through the process of metamorphosis, so it goes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
On the other hand, ladybugs can be univoltine or bivoltine, that is, in the first case they produce one generation per year and in the second two or more. However, certain species can be of one type or another depending on environmental temperatures, because, as we mentioned above, they do not reproduce under extreme conditions.
To reproduce, ladybugs can use a courtship, in which the male approaches, examines the female, and proceeds to attempt to mount her. If the female is not sexually mature, she will resist the act of copulation. The same goes for those who have been with another male recently. Both sexes during the reproductive period are with several individuals, even on the same day.
Also, these insects can communicate their willingness to reproduce through chemical communication with the use of pheromones. Additionally, species with colorful patterns rely on sight, so that females have a certain preference for males that exhibit more intense colors because these are usually warning signs to deter possible predators, which would be a trait possibly inherited in the species. offspring.
How are ladybugs born?
To learn how ladybugs are born, let's see their life cycle below, through which we can understand this dynamic:
Egg
Ladybugs hatch from eggs, so once fertilization has occurred, female ladybugs lay eggs. These eggs are oval in shape and are usually no more than 2, 5 mm long, they are completely smooth and shiny and do not have any individual cover, as occurs in other insects that camouflage them with certain structures. In some cases they are greenish or grayish in color, but generally they tend to be cream, orange or yellowish, however, as the embryo matures, the egg turns dark.
To protect the eggs, oviposition takes place on the underside of the leaves, on the branches of plants, the bark and even in holes of the same. The females lay groups of eggs that vary in quantity, so that they can range from about 20 to about 50. They lay several groups and it has even been determined that many species lay on different plants. Likewise, the eggs are generally placed on plants where there is the presence of aphids or other insects, on which the larvae can feed when they hatch.
When a female detects that there are eggs already on a plant, she will not lay her eggs on it, but rather she will look for another one to do so. In some cases, if there are not enough resources for the larvae to feed, the females even lay unfertilized eggs to serve as food for the emerging larvae.
Larva
Once the period of development inside the egg is over, ladybugs hatch into larvae Ladybug larvae can have different forms according to the species, so that those with simple appearances, similar to a small worm, or covered with structures such as spines, which can become toxic to predators. On the other hand, they also share some common traits among them, such as being highly developed, presenting a chitinous cover and, very particularly, being predators of other insects and their eggs.
At this stage it is normal for them to be quite active, although some species, depending on their diet, are not so active. In addition, they go through several stages through which they develop to reach the next stage. This larva stage lasts about a month
Pupa
Unlike the pupal form of other species, in ladybugs there is no cocoon, but rather they are attached to some substrate by their base, which is usually a part of the plant, although they do have a tissue that surrounds the larva. The colors vary between black, yellow or orange, depending on the species. If a pupa is touched, it will have a quick and violent reaction.
Adult
The last phase or stage is that of the adult, which emerges from the pupacrosswise from the top. Thus, it is as if the ladybug was born again thanks to this process of metamorphosis. In some cases, the adult has a whitish coloration, but after a few hours it returns to the tones typical of the species. An adult lives at least a year, although it can be longer, and they are most abundant in all species during spring and summer.
Now you know how ladybugs, these beautiful and fascinating insects, reproduce and are born. If you want to continue discovering more details about them, don't miss these articles:
- Where do ladybugs live?
- What do ladybugs eat?
