Nature Example
🐞
Ladybird
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Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Click here for the license
Credit: Wikimedia Commons. Click here for the license
A small, spotty beetle that is very helpful in the garden because it eats aphids (greenfly).
Seasonal Behaviour:
In winter, you won't find many ladybirds crawling on plants. They are all hibernating! They often huddle together in a big group, called a 'cluster', to keep warm. They will hide in sheds, under tree bark, or in tiny gaps in your window frames.
💡 Fun Facts
- A group of ladybirds is sometimes called a 'loveliness'.
- Their bright colours are a warning to birds, saying "Don't eat me, I taste horrible!"
- The number of spots on a ladybird does not tell you its age, but it can help you tell what type of ladybird it is.
- Ladybirds will often start to hibernate towards the end of summer even before it starts to get cold. They do this because there are no more greenfly around - because there is not enough food, so they go to sleep until there is food again!
- The large cluster of red and black creates a stronger visual warning to birds that this will not taste nice!