Lady Beetles, Lady Birds, Lady Bugs…
Whatever you prefer to call them, these super cute beetles are probably somewhere close to you.
So, let’s go on a Lady Beetle Hunt.
Did you know there are around 500 species of Lady Beetle in Australia?
Some of the most common ones that you might find in your garden are:
The Common spotted Lady Beetle (Harmonia conformis)
The Mealy Bug Lady Beetle (Cryptolaemus montrouzieri)
The Transverse Lady Beetle (Coccinella transversalis)
Fungus-eating Lady Beetle (Illeis galbula)
And the 28 Spotted Lady Beetle (Henasepilachna vigintiactopunctata)
Would you like to be a data collector? Take your magnifying glass and notebook to the garden.
• Look on rose bushes, potato plants, herbs and even fungi.
• Look carefully, can you see any Lady Beetles? Count how many are on the plant.
• Take note of their colour and count how many spots.
• Go to the Ladybirds of Australia Csiro web site and identify the species.
• Keep a log each day for a week. Put all your data into a graph.
Check again each season, what do you notice? Keep looking carefully at the plant, checking it every few weeks, can you find eggs and larvae? Take note of the time of year that you notice these things. You can share your finds on Questa game and iNaturalist. Or in the Nature Science for Aussies Facebook Group or #naturestudyaustralia on Instagram.
Have fun being a data collector. You can use your Lady Beetle investigation to work towards your Nature Club Insect Badges.
Some other ways to enjoy learning about Lady Beetles:
Read a book. The Bad Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle.
Make Lady Beetle rocks and hide them at your local park for others to find.
Create a journal page.
Download this math investigation pack. It has Lady Beetle memory cards, counting worksheets and a symmetry drawing page.
Would you like to learn more about ladybugs?
Investigate lady beetles in the Backyard Nature Study Guide | Summer / Autumn | Volume 5.
Investigate the secret worlds of complex creatures like ants, ladybirds and native Aussie bees. Capture grasshoppers, explore our native grasses and eucalyptus trees. Watch Willy Wag-tail’s antics, spy on geckos and observe Daddy Long-leg spiders.
The Australian Nature Study Guide is a Charlotte Mason based program designed to encourage nature exploration through the seasons. The guide includes poems, picture studies, activities, and read-aloud story suggestions. The Backyard Edition will inspire children to OBSERVE, EXPLORE, DRAW, PAINT, RESEARCH, WRITE, READ, CREATE, ADVENTURE, DISCOVER, COMPARE, DISCUSS, EXPLAIN and take NOTES.
