All information about the useful lice eaters

the essentials in brief

• Ladybug larvae are highly valued beneficial insects for the successful control of aphids and other pests.
• The development from egg to adult ladybug extends over four stages with a duration of 30 to 60 days.
• To increase the population, hobby gardeners can breed ladybird larvae themselves and put them out in the bed or on the balcony.

Ladybug larvae development - an overview in words and pictures

When ladybugs get out of the Hibernation wake up, take care of family planning right away. Mated ladybirds search specifically for aphid colonies and lay numerous oval, yellowish eggs there individually or in packets. Thanks to this strategy, the food is served on a silver platter to the offspring. Ladybug larvae have to go through four strenuous stages of development before they appear as colorful beetles. The following overview summarizes the fascinating process:

• 1. stage: Oviposition in late April / early May mostly on the underside of leaves, on needles, in cracks in trees
• 2. stage: Larvae hatch after 5-10 days and start to eat
• 3. stage: Larval stage for 30-60 days with 3-4 moults as the main feeding phase with up to 100 aphids per day
• 4. stage: Pupation for 6 to 9 days as a motionless resting phase without eating

After pupation, the finished ladybugs hatch with a creamy yellow body color. Only after a hardening phase do adult ladybirds brag about their dots on the shiny, red, yellow or black wings and reveal their species to the viewer. Incidentally, the metamorphosis into beetles does not end their function as beneficial insects. Adult ladybugs also plaster lice of all kinds, admittedly with less appetite than your eternally hungry offspring.

After only approx. The larvae hatch from the eggs for 10 days

Explanation of the larval stage

The most important phase for their function as beneficial insects in the natural garden is the larval stage. If the hobby gardener is not familiar with the essential identifying features, ladybird larvae are often eliminated as supposed pests. Despite numerous variations in color and shape, the caterpillars have a certain basic appearance that makes identification easier.

Usually the elongated body is widest just behind the head. A larva tapers continuously towards the end of the body. Individual body segments, which are often covered with thorns or bristles, stand out prominently. Strong legs are used for quick tracking of prey and active search for aphids. Ladybug larvae are often covered with a wax covering that acts as a shell against enemies such as ants, birds or frogs.

The pictures below illustrate the fascinating process from the tiny egg to the finished ladybug.

Breeding ladybird larvae yourself - step-by-step instructions

To increase the population in the garden, you can breed and release ladybird larvae yourself. Fully equipped grow sets from specialist retailers are well suited for this purpose. As a positive side effect, you and your children can experience the development from egg to ladybug up close. The following instructions explain step by step how to breed ladybug larvae yourself and how to properly settle them in your garden:

1. Order the breeding set between the beginning of March and the middle of September (allow 2-3 weeks in advance)
2. Take the rearing vivarium out of the packaging and set it up in a bright, warm location at 15 ° -25 ° Celsius
3. Place the supplied food in the freezer until you are ready to use it
4. Leave the transparent jar closed until the eggs have turned into 3-4 mm larvae
5. In the 2nd Larvae stage (after 2-5 days) Carefully transfer the larvae into the larger box provided
6. Immediately after moving, feed hungry larvae for the first time (defrost the food in advance)
7. Second feeding at the end of 3rd / beginning of 4th Larval stage at 7-8 mm in size
8. Important: Briefly open the lid of the rearing box for feeding and close it again immediately

After the second feeding, ladybird larvae pass into the pupation phase. From this point on, the larvae no longer receive food. The metamorphosis from larva to beetle takes an average of one week. During the delicate stage, the motionless dolls must not be removed from their support or touched. Once a beetle has shed its cocoon, it goes out into the great outdoors after 2 days at the latest. Ideal conditions for releasing self-bred ladybirds are temperatures around 18 ° Celsius and dry weather.

Feed ladybug larvae

Rearing kits already contain the food that ladybugs need to develop from egg to pupation. Usually these are mealworms as a substitute for natural food. Alternatively, you can feed your pupils yourself. Now the question arises: What do ladybug larvae actually eat? The following overview sheds light on the darkness:

• Aphids
• Scale insects
• Mites, preferably spider mites
• Larvae of other insects such as butterflies
• Powdery mildew mushrooms
• Bee pollen, preferably from marigolds, cornflowers, geraniums and all kinds of wild herbs

If food becomes scarce, ladybird larvae attack weaker conspecifics. Often hatched caterpillars cold-bloodedly eat all the eggs they can get hold of. You can effectively prevent cannibalism during rearing if you always have frozen mealworms in stock. If you don't have the time to collect lice in nature, feed hungry ladybird larvae with mealworms that have been thawed out beforehand.

Exposing ladybird larvae - tips & tricks

Ladybugs can be released as larvae or as adults

It is up to you to decide whether you want to release ladybirds from your own breeding at the larval stage. The advantage of this approach: The caterpillars come into the garden at the voracious stage of their development to hunt aphids. Disadvantage of early resettlement: You and your children will miss the fascinating process of pupation. The following tips & tricks reveal how to properly expose ladybird larvae:

• temperature: at least 15 ° Celsius (ideally 18 ° -22 ° Celsius)
• Location: Shrubs, trees, perennials and flowers with aphids
• Mode of Transport: Organic box, brush, paper strips
• Distribution rate: 10 ladybird larvae for 10 m², 20 larvae for 20 m²

Ladybug larvae are filigree creatures. Exposure in the garden requires a lot of tact so that the tiny caterpillars survive the risky procedure safely. You can significantly reduce the failure rate by placing the larvae in bio-boxes made of cardboard. The roof of a box is only opened when the little residents have acclimatized after a few hours and there are suitable framework conditions at the chosen location. The bio boxes (empty) are available at Schneckenprofi.de, for example, at a reasonable price.

Digression

Be careful - ladybug larvae bite

Where can you find ladybug larvae?

Ladybird larvae are mainly found on plants with aphid infestation

The larvae of seven-point, two-point or harlequin ladybirds are avid aphid slaughterers. So keep an eye out for plants with aphid infestation if you want to find the beneficial insects in the wild, in the garden or on the balcony. We have compiled the most common locations of ladybird larvae below:

• Woods: Roses, elder, Berry bushes
• Herbs: Dill, chives, caraway seeds, coriander, basil
• Weeds: Dandelions, nettles, meadow clover, red clover
• Flowers and perennials: Corn poppy, Cornflower, Jewelry basket, Sea lavender, Geranium

Then there are the specialists in ladybird land who settle on preferred plants. North of the Alps, for example, this is the daring seven-point ladybird (Coccinella magnifica), which is mainly found in the vicinity of anthills, i.e. in the immediate vicinity of his Enemies. The mountain ladybird (Hippodamia notata) is not afraid of heights and often lives in the mountains. Other location experts reveal their preferences with the name, such as the heather ladybird (Coccinella hieroglyphica), dry grass ladybird (Coccinula quatuordecimpustulata) or conifer ladybird (Aphidecta obliterata). It is obvious: where Mother Ladybird likes to linger, her offspring also cavort.

Recognizing common ladybug larvae - 3 types

The ladybird family is represented worldwide with more than 6000 species and countless subspecies. Even experienced entomologists will get dizzy in view of the impressive diversity of species with thousands upon thousands of pattern variants. At the same time, ladybird larvae look very similar, because the telltale wing points as an indicator of species affiliation do not appear until adult ladybirds. If you look closely, you will still recognize important distinguishing features. The following table provides important information for identification of the three most common types of ladybird larvae:

Reliable, serious statements about the size of ladybird larvae as a distinguishing feature are not possible. The information in the specialist literature ranges from 1.5 to 15 millimeters. Naturally, the larvae grow in size and length as they go through the four stages of development.

The Asian ladybird is increasingly displacing the native 7-point ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) (shown here)

Special case of Australian ladybird larvae

Australian ladybird larvae (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri), also popularly known as white ladybird larvae, occupy a special position. As the common name suggests, the bodies are mostly light to white in color, which makes a striking difference to native and Asian species.

White ladybird larvae are only viable at temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius and a humidity of at least 50 percent. The larvae eat mealybugs and mealybugs. Aphids, however, are spurned. These properties qualify Australian ladybird larvae for biological pest control in living spaces and winter gardens. To suffer Cacti, Orchids and other house plants under white cover, the beneficial insects like to take on the problem with great appetite.

Prevent ladybird plague in good time

Large numbers of ladybird larvae in the garden are not always a source of pure joy. In fact, tons of eggs, larvae and pupae herald an autumn beetle plague. In October and November, adult ladybugs gather in large swarms to look for safe winter quarters together. In the absence of natural retreats, the beetles invade houses, apartments, hallways or roller shutter boxes and make themselves unpopular as a winter beetle plague. The beetles often have to pay for their act of desperation with their lives, because dry, warm heating air is usually fatal.

When ladybugs get out of hand, they can become a nuisance

Forward-looking hobby gardeners do not allow it to come to that and offer ladybirds who are looking for accommodation in late autumn suitable winter quarters. The following options have proven themselves well in gardening practice as recommended retreats for the cold season:

• Premium solution: Build or buy a ladybug house yourself and hang it up
• Close to nature option: pile up piles of leaves or piles of wood, leave rotted tree stumps lying around
• Simple winter help: stop mowing the lawn in autumn, leave shrubs in the bed

Low temperatures are essential for ladybugs to survive. So that the lucky beetles in Numbness cozy, warm rooms with dry heating air are unsuitable. If ladybugs have lost their way into the house, careful relocation outside can save the lives of the valuable beneficial insects.

frequently asked Questions

How do ladybird larvae develop? How many stages are there?

When the tiny ladybug larvae hatch from their egg, they first eat up the nutritious shell with their tiny egg teeth. The caterpillars already have six nimble legs for hunting aphids and other prey. Ladybug larvae go through a total of four stages of development. To reach the next stage, the larvae stop eating for a short time. The caterpillars attach themselves to a surface in their abdomen and moult. After molting, ladybird larvae stretch and grow in this way to a new size. In the fourth and final stage, pupation into the finished ladybird is on the program.

Can ladybug larvae bite?

Yes, it is mainly the larvae of Asian harlequin ladybirds that bite when they feel threatened. For this purpose, the caterpillars have powerful mouthparts that they use to plaster their favorite prey aphids and scale insects. Admittedly, a bite is not painful or dangerous. The human epidermis is too thick to cause serious damage. Furthermore, ladybird larvae are not poisonous.

We would like to breed ladybird larvae ourselves. How does it work?

You can buy breeding sets for ladybird larvae in specialist shops. This includes either about 100 eggs or 10 to 15 larvae in the first or second stage of development as well as the necessary food until hatching as finished ladybirds. The Hagemann breeding set, for example, has the larvae of two-point ladybirds in its luggage, which turn out to be particularly voracious Aphid hunter have proven. The rearing vivarium included in the set can be reused for breeding additional ladybird larvae.

What do ladybug larvae prefer to eat?

For a ladybug larva, nothing beats a tasty aphid

At the top of the ladybug larvae menu are aphids. The caterpillars do not disdain other types of lice, such as scale insects, mealybugs and mealybugs. The latter are mainly targeted by white ladybird larvae from Australia. If aphids are rare in the garden, the caterpillars expand their range of prey to include bedbugs, butterfly larvae, insect eggs and soft-shelled insects. In addition, ladybug larvae like to eat pollen from wildflowers and herbs.

Are ladybug larvae harmful?

The extent to which ladybird larvae can be harmful is the subject of controversial debate among experts. Native species such as seven-point or two-point ladybirds are beyond suspicion. On the other hand, the massive spread of Asian ladybird larvae for biological pest control is viewed critically. Harlequin ladybugs have settled across Europe since immigration in the 1980s. Experts fear that the aggressive immigrants will displace native species in the long term. Field observations and laboratory tests prove that seven-point and two-point always lose out in confrontations.

We breed ladybird larvae ourselves, which are currently in the second larval stage. The caterpillars no longer eat and hang motionless in the vivarium. Are all larvae dead?

No, the ladybug larvae are not dead. Rather, the caterpillars are in the transition phase from one larval stage to the next. During this time they do not eat any food and remain motionless on a solid surface. Now the beneficial insects concentrate on slipping out of their old, far too tight skin as quickly as possible. After the moult, you can enjoy stretching. The hungry ladybird larvae go on a vigorous hunt for food in a new size.

Tips

With a blooming Natural garden send the perfect, non-verbal invitation to ladybugs and their larvae. Where wild herbs, native perennials, fruit and ornamental trees bloom side by side, the dotted aphid killers are not far. If hobby gardeners consistently refrain from using pesticides, ladybird women are happy to consider beds and balconies as a nursery.