What Do Ladybugs Eat?
Quick answer: Ladybugs mostly eat aphids and other small soft-bodied insects, which makes them helpful in gardens. Some also eat mites, scale insects and insect eggs, and they also eat pollen and nectar. Ladybug larvae eat aphids too.
So what do ladybugs eat? Most ladybugs are predators. They eat other insects, most of which are considered pests to humans who like to grow plants for food or beauty. They are often called a ‘gardener’s best friend’.
Because They Save Gardens By Eating Pest Insects.
Ladybugs and Aphids
The most common insects that ladybugs eat are aphids, which are a serious pest of plants. That’s why ladybugs can be the gardener’s best friend. They will control the pest insects in the garden without the gardener having to use chemical pesticides. Even larval ladybugs eat aphids. They also eat other insects that have soft bodies, like mites, white flies, and scale insects � all of which are pests of plants.
so farmers and gardeners love ladybugs!
Photo by Jacopo Werther
Vegetarian Ladybugs
However, the question of what do ladybugs eat is much more complex than this. There are exceptions to most every rule, for example sub family Epilachninae can actually be considered vegetarian ladybugs. Some of them eat fungus, like mushrooms. There are some that like to dine on mildew. Still others prefer eating leaves and can even become pests of some plants.
Ladybugs as Natural Pest Control
Still, most ladybugs are not pests. In fact, due to what they eat, most of them can almost be thought of as exterminators. After all, the majority of ladybugs subscribe to a diet that allows them to eat other pests. Hence as a group they are considered predators. At the very least, the fact that they can effectively keep a garden � and all the plants in it � free of aphids is certainly beneficial. It�s great that what a ladybug eats helps humans with the food that humans eat. You can contact Port Orchard Pest Control and also Kitsap pest control for help.
Read a bit more on Aphids:
https://www.learnaboutnature.com/insects/ladybug/who-is-eating-my-plants/
Randi Jones is the owner and founder of the Nature Gift Store, an online retailer specializing in nature-themed gifts, educational science projects, live animal nature kits and real butterfly artwork. A biology graduate who fell in love with insects, she founded the company in 2001 to make active learning about nature fun, accessible and engaging for children and adults. Her store offers real butterfly frames, home and garden decor and educational live animal kits, including ant farms, worm farms, tadpoles, ladybugs and hermit crabs, and she runs a bug museum in Washington featuring live animals like Eddie the Iguana alongside other reptiles and insects.
