lady bug houses to build and lady bug lore

Ladybug? Kids and lots of adults call this little Ladybird Beetle by another name "Ladybug" Not all Ladybugs are girls ~some are boys. Everyone loves them and you could say they are the world's favorite bug. This little round beetle come in red, orange, yellow, brown, tan, or gray. Commonly polka dotted, it could have stripes. Number of spots range from none at all to as many as 22.

Lady Bugs eat mites, leafhoppers, and aphids which is the Lady Bugs favorite food. Because they squirt stinky goop from their knees, no bug will eat them! The goop is poisonous to other bugs.

You can find Ladybird Beetles in your backyard on flowers, grapes, apples potatoes and corn.

~Build a Lady Bug House~

Materials Needed

oatmeal box or other round cardboard container (with lid)
paints or markers
fine mesh screen
craft knife (be sure to ask an adult to help you cut)

Use Paints or Markers to decorate your container.
Get an adult to make a couple of cuts for a window and also a door at the bottom of the container. If you want shutters, make an H shape cut. (Don't forget to paint the shutters and door)
Roll the screen to fit the inside of the container, making sure the edges overlap where they meet. The screen is necessary to prevent the occupants of the house from escaping.
Place some grass in the bottom (not too much) to make your guests feel at home.

Your guests will need food to eat. Aphids are the best thing you can feed your Lady Bugs. If you can't find any aphids, they will eat sweet plants such as sweet alyssums. They will eat each other if you don't feed them. Gently spray the grass with water every few days. They need a drink now and then and they like it a little humid. When you tire of them, set them free. They are good bugs, and you want them in your yard or garden. As with all living things, be kind to them.