June 13 is a holiday dedicated to a representative of the world of insects of the beetle family, namely Ladybug Day.

Today we dispel myths about these insects.

Myth 1. All cows are the same
Reality: There are many types of ladybugs and they can differ greatly from each other. These bugs can be yellow, orange, brown, black and even blue, and the dots can be black, red, yellow or white. And there may be no points at all. Instead, there will be stripes, spots or even commas on the elytra. Coloring can vary even among cows of the same species, but from different areas.

Myth 2. The number of dots on the back determines the age of the cow.
Reality: The number of spots on ladybugs varies from 2 to 28 and depends only on the species and has nothing to do with age. The lifespan of most of them is less than a year, and only a few, under favorable conditions, live up to two years.

Myth 3. Ladybugs only eat aphids
Reality: Adult beetles and beetle larvae feed on larvae and adult aphids, copperheads, whiteflies, scale insects, false scale insects, scale insects, spider mites, as well as eggs of many other plant-damaging insects and mites, small caterpillars and pupae. Their daily diet can include from 150 to 800 pests!

Myth 4. These bugs are poisonous
Reality: Despite their predatory nature, ladybugs are not at all dangerous to us. Ladybugs upon contact can secrete a protective fluid that only irritates the skin and can create a stinging sensation.

Myth 5. All cows benefit the garden.
Reality: Not all cows are predators. Some species are not only vegetarians, but also dangerous pests. For example, in Central Asia, melons, cucumbers and pumpkins are damaged by the melon bug. Close to it is the 28-spotted potato ladybug – a pest of potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables (in the Far East – no better than the Colorado potato beetle). The alfalfa borer damages alfalfa and sugar beets. And in some areas of central and southern Russia, the pointless ladybird is harmful: it feeds on clover, alfalfa and sweet clover.

However, there are few herbivorous ladybugs and their harm is nothing compared to the benefits from the activities of their predatory relatives – natural plant protectors.