The life cycle of a ladybird

1. The life cycle of a ladybird By Laura and Nevaeh

2. Contents page • Introduction • The life Cycle • Stage 1 – Eggs • Stage 2 – Larva • Stage 3 - pupa • Stage 4- Adult Ladybird • Glossary

3. Introduction A ladybird is an insect with 6 legs and a hard skin that protects it. It has a red body with black spots. It has 2 wings. You are going to learn about how a ladybird Changes from an baby to an adult. This is called the life cycle of a ladybird.

4. The Life Cycle

5. Stage 1 - Egg • Females lay their tiny eggs in yellow clusters under a leaf stem often near a colony of aphids. Eggs ladybird

6. Stage 2 - Larva Larva can eat up to 400 aphids in 2 to 3 weeks. After a few days, a tiny larva hatches from each egg. At first, it is white. Soon it turns black. leaf larva

7. Stage 3 - pupa • After the pupa stage they emerge as mature adult ladybirds. leaf pupa

8. Stage 4 – Adult Ladybird • The ladybird rests until its body hardens. It opens its wings so that they dry out. Soon its spots and red color appear. Adult ladybird

9. Glossary • Aphids – a tiny insect, such as greenfly and blackfly, that feeds on plants. • Emerge – come out • Larva – an insect in its first stage after coming out of an egg. • Pupa – the form that an insect takes when it changes from a larva in to an adult.