Ladybirds
Ladybirds are a fantastic friend to gardeners because they protect plants and flowers by eating pests and other bugs that are destroying their garden. Many people believe that these pretty little creatures also bring good luck when they land on you!
Here's some fun facts about ladybirds:
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The most common ladybird in the UK is the red seven-spotted ladybird but red isn’t the only colour – we also have yellow, orange and even black ladybirds.
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Beneath their hard bright shells are tiny wings which can flap 85 times per second so they can fly pretty fast.
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Ladybirds eat a lot! One ladybird can eat up to 50 aphids a day and 5,000 in their lifetime.
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Ladybirds don’t have teeth, but they do have very powerful mouths for chewing their food over and over from side to side.
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Their bright colours warn birds and spiders that they taste horrible and to steer clear.
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If ladybirds get scared they play dead and squirt a smelly sticky liquid from their knees, so they taste awful if an attacker gets too near.
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They like a long winter sleep called hibernation and gather in big groups in sheds, under rocks, or in piles of dry leaves to stay warm until the spring.
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A group of ladybirds is called a loveliness!
How Your Family Can Help Ladybirds
Collect pinecones, sticks and dry leaves, then you can build a ladybird hotel for them which you can leave in a corner of the garden, so they have a safe place to sleep over the winter.
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Ladybirds love pollen so why not grow some brightly coloured flowers like marigolds or sunflowers in a window box or plant pot, or herbs like lavender or thyme, to give them a tasty snack?