Mystery Lady: Immature ladybugs

Credit: Linda Gilkeson

Believe it or not, this spiny, alligator-like insect is an immature lady beetle.

The adults are small (4 to 8 mm/1⁄4 to 1⁄2 in. long), shiny, round beetles. They come in many colours, ranging from typical orange beetles with black spots to cream, yellow or pinkish with two to 20 black spots. Some species are black or black with red spots.

Lady beetles are valuable predators of insect eggs, aphids and other small, soft insects. A few species eat spider mites. Adult beetles also eat pollen, so you can attract them to your garden by planting pollen-rich flowers, such as dill, yarrow, cilantro and feverfew. There are so many native lady beetles that there is no need to buy them. The beetles sold by suppliers tend to fly away anyway, so they’re not very useful for a small yard.

In the fall, some lady beetles gather in large numbers on the sides of buildings, searching for winter hiding places. They become a nuisance when they end up inside the house. If they stay indoors they die, so gently sweep them up and put them outside.