'The Ladybug Shrub'

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Happenings in the insect world

Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey

Published on: June 14, 2010

Our Artemisia, a silvery-leafed shrub bordering our bee friendly garden, looks quite orange and black these days.

It's not for lack of water or some exotic disease. It's the ladybug (aka lady beetle) population.

If you look closely, you'll see eggs, larvae and pupae and the adults. And if you look even more closely, you'll see aphids.

The predator and the prey.

Bon appetit!

Ladybug

ADULT LADYBUG forages for aphids on a silvery-leafed shrub, Artemisia. A ladybug larva is at the far right. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Larval Stage

LARVAL STAGE of the ladybug. The ladybug goes through a complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa and adult. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pupa

PUPA of a ladybug on the silvery-leafed shrub, Artemisia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Ladybug and a Pupa

ENCOUNTER--An adult ladybug encounters a pupa, the last stage before becoming an adult. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Tags: Artemisia (3), ladybug (28), larva (5), pupa (3)

Comments: 2

Comments:

by Trish

on July 8, 2013 at 8:14 AM

Wow, amazingly beautiful pictures. Love ladybugs

by Kathy Keatley Garvey

on July 8, 2013 at 2:54 PM

Thanks!