How many pest insects can a single ladybug larva eat? The most common insects that ladybugs eat are aphids, which are serious pest of plants. Do ladybug larvae eat each other? They eat other insects, most of which are considered pests to humans who like to grow plants for food or beauty. Ladybug larvae (Photo: Wiki Commons). How to Take Care of a Ladybug. Larvae, due to their spiky, miniature alligator-like appearance, are often mistaken as a garden pest. Ask a Question Here are the questions asked by community members. Why do ladybugs come into my house in the winter time? Ladybugs eat both the larvae and the adult forms of the aphids, and for this reason, many farmers use ladybugs to control pests on their crops. Ladybugs eat aphids, which are tiny, soft-bodied insects that feed on plants. By the time its short life comes to an end, the average ladybug may have eaten as many as 5,000 aphids. Do Ladybugs Bite? Like adult ladybugs, larvae also gobble up mites, scales, aphids, mealybugs, and other soft-bodied insects. It feeds until it grows too big for its cuticle, or soft shell, and then it molts. They sometimes eat each other too! Seeing Spots? As the larvae grow they must shed their exoskeletons (outer cuticle), or molt, much like caterpillars. The newly hatched larva is in its first instar, a developmental stage that occurs between molts. Take a good look, because the last thing you want to do is kill these garden allies before they reach maturity. This page is about feeding and caring for pet ladybugs. They are often called a ‘gardener’s best friend’. Ladybugs are familiar sights in the Spring. While they are completely harmless to you and to your garden, ladybug larvae are voracious predators. In the larval stage, ladybugs feed voraciously. A single ladybug larva can eat up to 400 aphids over the course of a month, which means the larvae from a 15-egg cluster could eat up to 6,000 aphids in your garden in one month. Once the ladybugs are in my house, will they eat anything? Ever wonder which ladybug you are looking at? Why? Ladybugs eat aphids, which are tiny, soft-bodied insects that feed on plants. Ladybug larvae can eat about 25 aphids a … Some people like raising ladybugs in ladybug farms similar to an ant farm or a worm farm. Found all over the world, ladybugs flourish in places where their food sources thrive. After molting, the larva is in the second instar. The family is commonly known as ladybugs in North America, and ladybirds in Britain and other parts of the English-speaking world. What do ladybugs eat? You might not know it, but ladybugs make good pets—they're cute, quiet, easy to catch, and don't take up a lot of space. The first stage in becoming a ladybug is the egg stage, so let’s absorb a little ladybug egg information. That’s a lot of free pest control! Are ladybugs poisonous? Advertisement. Ladybug Pictures. From the moment a ladybug larvae emerges, it will begin consuming aphids or mites at an astonishing rate. They do this because they love ladybugs and so that they can watch the wonderful transformation of the ladybug life cycle. A single larva can eat dozens of aphids per day and eat other soft-bodied garden pests as well such as scale, adelgids, mites and other insect eggs. What does a "baby" ladybug (larvae) look like? A single lady beetle may eat as many as 5,000 aphids in its lifetime. They molt … Ladybug Egg Information. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community or ask a new question. Larvae feed on other soft-bodied plant pests as well, including scale insects, adelgids, mites, and insect eggs.