Life Cycle of a Lady Bird

Egg Stage

• Adult lady birds cluster and hibernate for the winter, protecting themselves underneath rock, tree formations or other sheltered areas. In the spring, the adults scatter (though often remaining in groups, as they are gregarious) in search of food and sites to lay their eggs.

Larval Stage

• The female can lay up to 1,000 eggs in up to three months. The eggs, clustered on leaves and stems, hatch into larvae in about a week. The larvae then develop through four larval stages (called instar) over 20 to 30 days.

Pupal Stage

• The final larval instar attaches itself to a leaf or other surface to prepare for the pupal stage. Pupation may last anywhere from three to 12 days before the adult lady bird (imago) emerges.

Adult Stage

• Adult lady birds can live anywhere from a few months to more than a year, producing one to two generations per year. Much of the life cycle depends upon the climate and food abundance of their geographic region.

Fun Fact

• Lady birds are often used as natural pest control in gardens and orchards, as they feed on garden pests such as aphids, mites and insect eggs. However, a few species of lady birds are considered pests themselves, such as the Mexican bean beetle, because they feed on plants and damage crops. Also, as some species overwinter in or near houses, they can create some discomfort for or even allergic reactions in homeowners.