Posts Tagged: lady bug

The Hitchhiker

Oleander aphids, those cartoonish-looking yellow insects with black legs and cornicles, are commonly found on oleanders. Hence their name. But they also are partial to milkweeds, the host plant of the monarch butterfly. It's a daily challenge to rid...

A lady beetle picks up a hitchhiker, an oleander aphid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A lady beetle picks up a hitchhiker, an oleander aphid. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

One on the back and one in the mouth. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

One on the back and one in the mouth. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The oleander aphid maintains its hold on the back of its predator, a lady beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The oleander aphid maintains its hold on the back of its predator, a lady beetle. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The lady beetle prepares for take-off, with the oleander aphid still clinging to its back. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The lady beetle prepares for take-off, with the oleander aphid still clinging to its back. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Christmas Bug

If there ever were a Christmas bug, it would be the ladybug, aka lady beetle. The insects (family Coccinellidae) are brightly colored and spread joy in the garden when they feast on aphids. Last summer we enjoyed watching them hanging out and hooking...

Ladybug on gardener's glove

LADYBUG--You should treat the ladybug with kid gloves; it's a beneficial insect. Here a ladybug, aka lady beetle, crawls on a gardener's glove. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Christmas bug

CHRISTMAS BUG--The ladybug is the perfect Christmas bug--she's brightly colored and spreads joy in the garden when she devours aphids. This one heads for the garden. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Fly Away Home

We netted the floundering California lady beetle (Coccinella californica) aka "lady bug," from our swimming pool. She didn't look like the familiar lady beetle, reddish orange with black spots. One spot was all she had. And little life left. Then,...

A California lady beetle, aka ladybug, spreads her wings to dry after a near-drowning in a swimming pool. The lady beetle is a beneficial insect. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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