Friday, November 2, 2012

Painting the garden red

We had a few days of warmer weather this week and, as a result, the ladybugs have come out of hiding.  Almost wherever I go in the garden, I find more of these little red beetles.  Some of them, such as those pictured below, appear to be just sitting around in clusters.

Seven-spotted ladybugs (Coccinella septempunctata) gathered on a hollyhock leaf.
Seven-spotted ladybugs (Coccinella septempunctata) gathered on a rose stem.
Others are going for the last remaining flowers.  Although ladybugs are predators of other insects (particularly aphids), they will consume nectar and pollen when their prey are scarce.

A seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) on a dandelion (Taraxacum sp.) inflorescence.
A seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) on an aster inflorescence.









No comments:

Post a Comment