LADYBUGS

What do ladybugs have in common What do ladybugs have in common with wolves? Read the next passage with wolves? Read the next passage to find out.to find out.

The best-known predatory insect is the The best-known predatory insect is the ladybug. Of the roughly 400 different ladybug. Of the roughly 400 different species of ladybugs found in North species of ladybugs found in North America, all but two are beneficial.America, all but two are beneficial.

Ladybugs are especially attracted to Ladybugs are especially attracted to aphids, aphids, one of the most serious and one of the most serious and common garden pests. Aphids are tiny common garden pests. Aphids are tiny insects that attack plants growing on insects that attack plants growing on farms, in small towns, and even in large farms, in small towns, and even in large cities. These insects are often green-and cities. These insects are often green-and usually form clusters on apple trees, usually form clusters on apple trees, tomatoes, rose bushes, American elms, tomatoes, rose bushes, American elms, and many other plants. They cling to the and many other plants. They cling to the leaves, stems, or flowers of plants and leaves, stems, or flowers of plants and suck out the juices. Eventually, the plant suck out the juices. Eventually, the plant droops, the leaves shrivel, and the droops, the leaves shrivel, and the flowers drop.flowers drop.

Ladybugs are actually beetles, not Ladybugs are actually beetles, not bugs. One of the differences bugs. One of the differences between bugs and beetles is that between bugs and beetles is that beetles have chewing mouthparts beetles have chewing mouthparts while bugs' mouthparts are while bugs' mouthparts are adopted for adopted for suckingsucking. Ladybugs . Ladybugs chew up aphids with their razor-chew up aphids with their razor-

sharp sharp mandibles, or mandibles, or jaws.jaws. In warm spring weather, look for In warm spring weather, look for ladybugs hunting in colonies of aphids. ladybugs hunting in colonies of aphids. They crawl over the aphids, pluck them They crawl over the aphids, pluck them off the plant, and slowly crunch each off the plant, and slowly crunch each aphid body-bit by bit.aphid body-bit by bit.

Ladybug larvae are also predators. Since larvae are growing, they are even more hungry then adult ladybugs. One larva may gobble up more than 300 aphids during the week or two it takes to grow into an adult.

Ladybugs have enormous appetites. A Ladybugs have enormous appetites. A ladybug can eat about fifty aphids a ladybug can eat about fifty aphids a day. Ladybugs aren't fussy day. Ladybugs aren't fussy eaters. Besides aphids, they also devour eaters. Besides aphids, they also devour tiny worms, caterpillars, mites, scale tiny worms, caterpillars, mites, scale insects, white flies, or whatever else insects, white flies, or whatever else they can get their little mouthparts on.they can get their little mouthparts on.

The larva looks similar to a stubby lizard and scurries about actively on its six legs. Its colors are the reverse of a ladybug's-a ladybug has black spots on red wings, while the larva has red or blue spots on a black body. When it finds an aphid, the larva pierces its prey with its hollow mandibles and sucks out the juices.

You also might spot ladybug eggs on the underside You also might spot ladybug eggs on the underside of a leaf. To the naked eye they look like small of a leaf. To the naked eye they look like small yellow grains, but with a hand magnifier, you can see yellow grains, but with a hand magnifier, you can see the clumps of tiny golden eggs.the clumps of tiny golden eggs.

11. Ladybugs are best described as . Ladybugs are best described as           A. mammals. A. mammals.           B. beetles. B. beetles.           C. insects. C. insects.           D. larvae. D. larvae. 2. One of the best places to find a ladybug is 2. One of the best places to find a ladybug is           A. by a colony of aphids. A. by a colony of aphids.           B. perched on a mandible. B. perched on a mandible.           C. in an American elm. C. in an American elm.           D. with other insects. D. with other insects.

3.  A ladybug can eat about 3.  A ladybug can eat about           A. 50 aphids a day. A. 50 aphids a day.           B. 60 aphids a day. B. 60 aphids a day.           C. 300 aphids a week. C. 300 aphids a week.           D. 400 aphids a week. D. 400 aphids a week.

4.  Aphids are considered to be pests 4.  Aphids are considered to be pests because they because they

          A. cat ladybugs. A. cat ladybugs.           B. destroy plants. B. destroy plants.           C. bite people. C. bite people.           D. suck larvae.D. suck larvae.

5.  According to the passage, which of these 5.  According to the passage, which of these statements about ladybugs is not true    statements about ladybugs is not true    

A. They are meat-eaters. A. They are meat-eaters.

B. They are beneficial. B. They are beneficial.

C. They are pests. C. They are pests.

D. They are beetles. D. They are beetles. 6.  Why do larvae eat more than adult 6.  Why do larvae eat more than adult

ladybugs? ladybugs?

A. They store their food for the season. A. They store their food for the season.

B. They use a lot of energy when hunting. B. They use a lot of energy when hunting.

C. They lose their weight during the daytime. C. They lose their weight during the daytime.

D. They are growing and need the food. D. They are growing and need the food. 

7.  According to this passage, predators are 7.  According to this passage, predators are

A. meat eaters. A. meat eaters.

B. dangerous animals. B. dangerous animals.

C. plant eaters. C. plant eaters.

D. garden pests. D. garden pests.

8. What is the 8. What is the main main purpose of this passage?purpose of this passage?

A. to show differences among mammals A. to show differences among mammals

B. to discuss the ladybug and larvae as predators B. to discuss the ladybug and larvae as predators

CC. . to illustrate how the environment affects bugs to illustrate how the environment affects bugs

D. to describe the hardships of the ladybug D. to describe the hardships of the ladybug

Open Reading Response ItemOpen Reading Response Item

Describe the Describe the similaritiessimilarities and and differencesdifferences

between ladybugs and ladybug larvae. between ladybugs and ladybug larvae. 

Use information from the passage to Use information from the passage to

help help supportsupport your description. your description.

                         

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Describe the similarities and differences between ladybugs and ladybug larvae. Use information from the passage to help support your

description.

                                                                                                                            

                                                                      

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