If you enjoy the sight of ladybugs in your garden, you probably already know that putting out food they enjoy is a terrific method to draw them. What do ladybugs consume, though?
Ladybugs primarily consume aphids and other tiny insects. Ladybugs typically eat a range of insects and plant matter because they are omnivores. The majority of ladybugs also enjoy eating nectar, which may be found in flowers, vegetables, fruit, and herbs. Ladybugs can also consume fungi, leaves, pollen, and tree sap to round out their diet. Because their meal contains a lot of water, ladybugs typically maintain their fluid balance.
You may get a general sense of the ladybug diet from here. However, you can have queries regarding the specifics of each of these items.
You can learn everything you need to know about the ladybug diet from this guide. We’ll also talk about some of the distinctive feeding preferences of ladybugs.
What do Ladybugs eat?
The majority of ladybugs are omnivores that eat a variety of plants, insects, and secretions. The primary food source for a ladybug depends on its subspecies. This is typically a result of the meals that are readily available in their environment.
Ladybugs will often look for energy and minerals from a variety of meals. Examine each of these in turn.
1. Insects
The majority of the ladybug’s diet is made up of insects. And the insect they enjoy eating the most is one in particular.
Ladybugs enjoy eating aphids. Each day, they will consume 50 to 100 aphids. They devour these little creatures with an insatiable appetite.
In fact, farmers and gardeners release ladybugs in their fields and crops because they are so effective at eliminating aphids. It is a natural insecticide alternative that aids in reducing aphid issues. Every year, ladybugs avoid billions of dollars in crop damage, saving the agriculture business.
Due to the honeydew that aphids secrete, ladybugs are drawn to them in particular. Ladybugs are drawn by this sweet-smelling liquid to an excellent source of aphids.
Ladybugs will eat a wide variety of tiny insects, though aphids are their main prey.
Insects that ladybugs also consume include:
- Mites
- Thrips
- Whiteflies
- Mealybugs
- Weevils
- Rootworm
The insects that ladybugs will typically eat are listed below. They tend to be slow-moving, easily preyed-upon soft-bodied or scale insects, as you may have noticed.
The eggs and larvae of larger insects are a common source of food for ladybugs. These insects are plentiful and tiny enough for ladybugs to easily consume at this stage of their life cycles.
On most plants and leaves, ladybugs may easily find little insects and aphids to feed on. They will consume the insects whole after crushing their delicate bodies.
Ladybugs obtain their protein, fats, and energy from insects. To keep ladybugs hydrated, insects are a great source of water in their diet.
2. Nectar
Due to their high level of activity, ladybugs require a lot of energy each day to maintain their health and diet. Ladybugs can get the energy they need to forage, fly, and lay hundreds of eggs by feeding on a source of nectar.
Ladybugs are drawn to plants that provide nectar. This is due to the ladybugs’ ability to aid in cross-pollination. In exchange for food from the plant, the ladybug aids in the reproduction of the plant.
Many unexpected plant sources of nectar are accessible to ladybugs.
Herb Nectar
Herb plants with nectar-producing flowers are one of the finest places to find nectar for ladybugs. That’s because herb plants frequently have flat-topped blossoms. These flowers have many flower heads on the stems and are formed like miniature bouquets.
The ladybugs can consume the sweet nectar that each of these flower heads provide. The ladybugs can access the nectar much more quickly since the blossoms are so little.
The following are common herbs that ladybugs enjoy eating:
- Cilantro
- Dill
- Fennel
- Yarrow
- Chives
- Parsley
Flower Nectar
Herbs are frequently seen with a variety of companion plants. These are frequently plants with sweet-smelling flowers that produce nectar and draw ladybugs.
These will be a nice source of nectar and insects for the ladybugs to eat.
Calendula, marigold, and sweet alyssum are typical companion plants that ladybugs consume.
Additionally, they enjoy hybrid flowers like dandelions, tansies, cosmos, and daisies. This is due to the fact that each of these flower heads is actually a combination of several miniature flower heads. These tiny flower heads each produce nectar that the ladybugs eat.
Vegetable Nectar
Another excellent source of nectar for ladybugs is from vegetable plants. We frequently overlook the fact that vegetable plants also produce flower flowers and only see vegetables as the portion of the plant we eat.
These blossoms will serve as a fantastic source of nectar for the ladybugs’ diet.
the following are typical veggies that ladybugs are drawn to:
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Choy bok
- Kale
- Broccoli
- Cucumber
3. Fruit
Ladybugs enjoy using fruit in their diet. Fruit is ideal for them because they have a slight sweet tooth and are drawn to meals that are high in sugar.
They particularly enjoy soft, watery, low-acid fruits that are highly sweet. Because of this, ladybugs may easily reach the apple’s soft flesh and fruit juices.
Common fruits enjoyed by ladybugs include:
- Watermelon
- Grapes
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Blueberries
- Cherries
- Plums
- Peaches
If they are overripe and hence naturally grow softer to eat, some tougher fruit can be consumed by ladybugs. Citrus fruits are too acidic for ladybugs, therefore they don’t enjoy them.
The nectar present in fruit blossoms is another excellent source of food for ladybugs. Typically, this is only accessible for a few months out of the year.
4. Fungi
A few types of ladybugs enjoy eating sources of fungi, such as mushrooms and mildew. In actuality, the fungus-eating ladybug is a subspecies of the ladybug.
This species does not, however, enjoy eating mushrooms. They consume mildew, an extremely fine powder that is frequently found on plant and vegetable leaves.
Some subspecies’ diets depend on fungi as a major supply of salt and nutrients.
One of the few species that eats mushrooms are the 22 spotted ladybugs. Because of their delicate flesh, mushrooms are simple for these ladybugs to consume.
5. Leaves
The diet of the majority of ladybug species includes varying amounts of leaves. Even ladybugs, which mostly consume insects, require leaves in their diet. That’s because a diet high in insects doesn’t give ladybugs all the nutrients they require.
They can get a supply of sterols, such as cholesterol, by include leaves in their diet. Both males and females benefit from this in terms of good reproduction. The ladybugs cannot create as many healthy offspring without this vital vitamin.
Some ladybug subspecies are herbivores, with leaves and other flora making up the majority of their diet.
The Epilachninae and Henosepilachna are the two most prevalent species of herbivorous animals. These are primarily found in Kentucky and Mexico. They are sometimes referred to as squash beetles and Mexican bean bugs.
These are frequently regarded as pest species due to their propensity to devour enormous quantities of the bean and squash crops.
6. Pollen
Ladybugs are pollinators because they disperse pollen, which enables plants to reproduce. They also consume a significant amount of the pollen that these plants generate.
Ladybugs frequently consume pollen when scavenging for nectar in plant flowers. Additionally, pollen is sometimes discovered being ingested by ladybugs as they search for sticky nectar to eat.
As a strong source of protein in their diet, ladybugs benefit from these minute amounts of pollen. This could be a good addition to the nectar from the blossoms that is high in carbohydrates.
Ladybugs frequent certain plants because the pollen is appealing to them. To ensure that there is enough pollen for the ladybug to spread to other plants, it follows that these plants must produce a lot of it.
Pollen that ladybugs prefer includes:
- Garlic
- Couple’s Button
- Juniper
- Geranium
7. Tree sap and Honeydew
As additional food sources, ladybugs can consume honeydew and tree sap. You’ll notice these gooey stuff dripping from the tree bark. Tree aphids, which attack sap-filled trees, frequently cause this. The ladybugs follow the aphids wherever they are found.
Like nectar, tree sap has high levels of sugar that can give ladybugs energy. Other nutrients like minerals and amino acids are also abundant in tree sap. Ladybugs adore honeydew, which is the gooey waste that aphids leave behind. The ladybugs can maintain their health and vigor by eating these.
Ladybugs must wait for other creatures or insects to penetrate the thick layers of bark in order to access the tree sap. However, once ladybugs locate a source of tree sap, they will seize the chance to consume it.
Ladybugs like the sap-filled trees that:
- Ash
- Fir
- Pine
- Spruce
- Cedar
How do ladybugs eat?
Ladybugs can chew thanks to a part of their mouth called a mandible. Although on a much smaller scale, their mouth resembles the human mouth.
The ladybugs’ mandibles enable them to grasp and smash food and prey. They grind the food in order to reduce it to tiny pieces. Ladybugs chew side to side as opposed to up and down.
What do ladybugs drink?
Ladybugs do not need to consume liquids on purpose in addition to their diet. That’s because ladybugs consume a lot of water-rich meals, which simultaneously hydrate them.
Many of the things that ladybugs consume, including nectar, sap, and honeydew, are essentially sugary liquids. However, ladybugs will also sip water they obtain when foraging on leaves and plants.
FAQ
Do ladybugs eat honey?
A ladybug’s diet does not naturally include honey, and they do not actively seek it out in the environment. This is because attempting to raid a beehive and agitating the bees within would be too perilous.
However, a ladybug that receives honey from a person is likely to test it. In nature, ladybugs consume saps and honeydew, which are similar to the sweet, sticky material that is honey.
You shouldn’t anticipate a ladybug to consume a lot of honey. They only need a tiny drop to get a full sip.
Do ladybugs eat ants?
Ants are not eaten by ladybugs. Due to their competition for the same aphid and honeydew food sources, the two frequently come into contact with one another.
The two species get along pretty well together. But if ladybugs appear to eat a lot of aphids, ants frequently lose a significant source of food. One ladybug can be attacked and killed if there is an ant herd nearby. Ants could therefore pose a hazard to ladybug survival even though they are not predators.
Consequently, ladybugs cannot be employed to manage an ant infestation.
What are 5 things ladybugs eat?
Aphids, scale, mites, mealybugs, tiny caterpillars, insect eggs and pupae, whiteflies, mites, and psyllids are just a few of the many different prey items they eat.
How do you keep ladybugs alive?
Include folded cardboard for the insects to crawl on. Place a few tiny foliage limbs all throughout the insect enclosure. Place a paper towel that has been folded in water in the ladybug house. The beetles can also get a source of water from a clean, wet sponge.
Will ladybugs eat jelly?
Considering that ladybugs primarily consume other pest insects, jelly, raisins, and sweet fruits are examples of dietary modifications.
What can I feed a ladybug?
Every day, give your ladybug a few raisins, leaves of lettuce, or drops of honey. Before dropping them into your habitat, soften a few raisins by soaking them in water for a few minutes. Alternatively, you can cut up a lettuce leaf into small pieces and let your ladybug graze on it.
What food do ladybugs eat?
Aphids
Final thoughts
Aphids are the insect of choice for the majority of ladybugs, who are primarily insect eaters. This means that having ladybugs around is quite advantageous for farmers and gardeners both.
As a hydration and energy source, ladybugs will also consume a variety of sweet liquids like nectar, sap, and honeydew. This indicates that different plants with nectar will draw them.
Additionally, ladybugs will add additional plant material to their diet, such as leaves, pollen, and fungi. This aids in providing them with the nutrition they require to stay healthy.
Because their diets are so diverse, ladybugs can always count on having a plentiful supply of food nearby.