Tiny garden neighbours
Ladybug
A tiny round beetle in a spotted shell.
Ladybugs (also called ladybirds) are small beetles. Many kinds eat tiny insects called aphids that harm plants.
This friend is very quiet, so you're hearing the place where it lives.
Interesting facts
- A ladybug is a beetle, not a bug.
- Its hard spotted shell protects folded wings underneath.
- Many ladybugs eat aphids, which helps gardens.
- Bright colours warn birds that ladybugs taste bad.
Where it lives
Leaves and stems in gardens, often where aphids live.
It might be…
- Walking along a stem
- Hunting aphids
- Opening its shell to fly
Why it matters
By eating aphids, ladybugs help plants stay healthy without sprays.
Being a good friend
- Look closely, but keep your hands behind your back.
- Count its spots without touching.
- Watch which way it walks.
Please don't
- Don't touch, hold or pick it up.
- Don't chase it or block its path.
- Don't take it home — its home is outside.
Mission
Spot the Spots
Look on the tops and undersides of leaves — only by looking, not by turning them over.