"Ladybug" refers to a whole *family* of beetles, Coccinellidae. There are dozens of species. Most are red or orange or yellowish/gold with various numbers of black spots. Some are black with red spots. Some have white markings (stripes or spots) on the "pronotum", the shield ahead of the wing-covers but behind the head-proper. The color and the number/placement of spots is species-specific.
The larvae are predators, eating aphids and other small insects. Not sure how the adults feed, or if they eat at all, but they don't skeletonize leaves. That's why they're so popular with gardeners--they remove leaf-destroyers. Robin P. Los Angeles, California, USA (formerly Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: Tamara P Duvall <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Carol's reply also - quite accidentally - answered a question that's > been "bugging" me (sorry, but the pun was irresistible <g>) for the > 32yrs I've been in US... I've seen the creature here many times and, > although the _shape_ is the same as that of a Polish ladybug, nothing > else is; the size, the colour, the disposition of the dots - all are > somewhat different. And I've often wondered if it was the same bug, - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
