What kind of strange liquid does a ladybug secrete when you pick it up (7 photos)

The answer to one of the main questions about ladybugs from childhood: what kind of yellow liquid appears when you pick up an insect?





Everyone probably remembers one of the main laws of childhood: if you find a ladybug on your clothes or the nearest leaf, you must pick it up and sing the same “ladybug, fly to the sky.” In order to bring a gift, she summoned happiness and good luck to fulfill her deepest desires. And as soon as you grab it, put it on your palm so that it is more convenient for it to rise into the air, and the ladybug takes it and stains your hands with something yellow and incomprehensible! And so you run, offended, to ask your parents: what’s wrong with the bug? And they smile mysteriously and answer that she went to the toilet like that. There is no limit to disappointment! But in reality, everything is completely different!



The honorable adults are seriously mistaken in their formulation. The yellow liquid secreted by ladybugs and some other insects is hemolymph. This is a special liquid of the internal environment of the insect, an analogue of the blood of vertebrates and, in fact, lymph. It flows from the chitinous joints of the beetle.





It is usually colorless, with a slight green tint. Performs functions similar to the previously named structures: promotes metabolism and delivery of nutrition to organs. In addition, the hemolymph has its own compounds and substances responsible for immunity.



Now an attentive reader will ask: the shade doesn’t match! Ladybugs smear themselves with orange, but here you are talking about something completely different. And anyway, why this strange bloodletting? But let's remember: what does bright color most often mean in nature? Danger warning! They say, beware, predator, if you catch me, you will pay. And there is something to be afraid of.



Not only the color of the hemolymph, but also the ladybug itself warns of danger. Have you ever wondered why she is so red and beautiful?

The hemolymph of ladybugs contains a special substance - cantharidin. This is a poison of non-protein origin. Extremely toxic, especially to small mammals. Our gastrointestinal tract will also not be very good from the toxin. Therefore, you should not try ladybugs on your teeth. Moreover, the taste is also disgusting - an unlucky hunter who decides to eat a ladybug will spit it out faster than he kills it.



“Come to our entomology!” - they said. "It will be fun!" - they said. Ladybugs alone are a dime a dozen, and all are poisonous!

But cantharidin is not limited to just one spoiled dinner. When it gets on the skin, it causes inflammation. For those who are especially lucky - an allergic reaction. Fortunately, ladybugs do not have enough of this substance to seriously harm our skin.



But beetles from the blister family will have more poison in their “blood”. Therefore, you need to take them only with gloves!

So know that ladybugs don't poop on us! They are bleeding poisonous blood on us! And I don’t even know which is better...