What are the characteristics and eating habits of the seven-spot ladybird?

The seven-spot ladybird is also called the golden tortoise, the new bride, and the flower big sister. It is a beneficial insect, and because it has seven black round spots on its wings, people gave it this name. The seven-spot ladybird is distributed in many places in our country and is a very common insect. So what characteristics does the seven-spot ladybird have? What food does it like to eat?

1. What characteristics does the seven-spot ladybird have?

1. Strong self-defense ability

Although the seven-spot ladybird is very small, not even as big as a soybean, its self-defense ability is actually quite strong. Even when it encounters many troublesome opponents, it can still escape easily. This is because the joints of the seven-spot ladybird's legs contain a liquid that can secrete a very foul odor, and this “mechanism” is triggered only when it encounters enemies. The enemy cannot stand this strong smell and hurriedly runs away. In addition, the seven-spot ladybird also has the skill of playing dead. If it encounters an enemy stronger than itself, it will immediately fall from the tree, tuck its legs under its belly, and lie there pretending to be dead, so the enemy is no longer interested in it.

2. Different activity places in different seasons

In spring, when the temperature begins to rise, the overwintering seven-spot ladybirds slowly wake up, resume activity, and appear on rapeseed plants or wheat plants. In summer, the weather gets hotter and hotter, and this is also their breeding period. Wherever there is food, they can be seen. In autumn, as it gradually turns cooler, the number of seven-spot ladybirds also gradually decreases, and they lay eggs on radishes, corn, cabbage, and other places. If the weather is rather cool in the morning and evening, they will hide. In winter, they hide in the roots and stems of rapeseed and wheat to spend the winter.

2. What food does the seven-spot ladybird like to eat?

Not all ladybirds are beneficial insects; some are pests, and they can be distinguished by the different numbers of spots. The seven-spot ladybird is a typical beneficial insect. They often prey on pests such as wheat aphids, locust aphids, cotton aphids, scale insects, green peach aphids, and mites, which is of great help to crops, trees, and so on. It reduces the damage these pests cause to them and also reduces the use of pesticides, achieving the goal of protecting the environment.

3. Artificial rearing of the seven-spot ladybird

If the seven-spot ladybird is to be reared artificially, the first problem is feeding. This is because the aphids they like to eat are generally in the wild and need to be collected by hand, which is somewhat difficult. Therefore, aphids must be cultivated artificially in order to keep the seven-spot ladybird alive. At this time, bean seedling plants are chosen for cultivation.

Place the seven-spot ladybird in a glass bottle, put a piece of straw paper at the bottom of the bottle, then place a small bottle cap on the paper, and put a layer of gauze over the mouth of the bottle to maintain a certain humidity.

The rearing temperature and humidity of the seven-spot ladybird must be well controlled. Generally, a temperature between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius and a humidity between 70 percent and 80 percent are relatively good.