Cannibalism and endurance: what else are ladybugs capable of (7 photos)

“Ladybug, fly to the palate, bring us some tasty bread for dinner” - this saying is familiar to us from childhood, when we caught a funny insect with dots on its wings on our fingers. Then it was supposed to let the cow fly away.





But these cute insects are not so cute in some places. By the way, it is still not clear why ladybugs are called that. But there is a legend: when in ancient times grain fields were attacked by pests, people did not know how to cope with them and began to pray. And suddenly they saw that the aphid had disappeared somewhere, and in its place were bugs with red wings with black dots. Joyful people decided that God had sent them to them to protect them from hunger.



What it really was like there is unknown, but let such a beautiful legend remain.

And ladybugs, by the way, when danger arises, know how to pretend to be dead. They hide their paws under their shell and freeze. And if a persistent enemy still tries to attack her, then she releases a yellow liquid from the joints of her paws - it immediately scares away the predator. You may have noticed it on your fingers when you caught a ladybug.





Insects usually lead a solitary lifestyle, but during wintering they unite in colonies. There can be as many as a million individuals and they hide in the bark or leaves. In cramped conditions, no offense, but then they get out into the wild to help farmers protect their crops, because the cows are very, very voracious - just during the period of growing up they can eat up to 1000 aphids. An adult eats up to 50 aphids per day.



The kids actively practice cannibalism. When times of famine come, cows eat their own larvae, and in huge quantities. Researchers have found that females deliberately lay unfertilized eggs for this purpose, because they contain a lot of protein, which is so necessary for the good growth of the offspring.



They are also very durable - they can cover a distance of 120 km without a single break. And they usually travel at altitudes greater than 1000 meters. And during a long flight, a ladybug can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h. Wow baby!



Ladybugs are enviable lovers. They can have sex for up to 10 hours without a break, and they can also experience up to three orgasms in a row and each can last for an hour and a half! But there is also a downside to such unbridled debauchery - they often suffer from STDs. There is such a terrible mite, coxipolypus, and if a ladybug catches it, it will no longer be able to produce offspring. Not to mention all sorts of fungi.

By the way, if a male meets an already “experienced” lady, then mating will occur within a couple of seconds, but if the female is an “innocent girl,” then the male will dance around her, persuade her, dance and, in the end, get his way.



It is noteworthy that monuments were erected to the ladybug in different countries in gratitude for its help in preserving the harvest. In Tokyo, in Seoul, in New York, in Volgograd, in Warsaw, in Millau.

In general, good love omens are associated with them: in Asia, for example, there is a belief that if you let a ladybug go, it will find you a mate. He will fly to someone destined by fate and whisper his name. And after this, the meeting of lovers will certainly take place.