Eleven-spot ladybird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eleven-spot Ladybird |
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The eleven-spot ladybird (scientific name: Coccinella undecimpunctata) is a cool type of ladybird. It gets its name from the eleven black spots on its bright red or orange wing covers. This ladybird is originally from a huge area called the Palearctic. This includes places like Europe, North Africa, and a big part of Asia, from Russia all the way to North India.
People have also brought the eleven-spot ladybird to Australia and New Zealand. Why? Because it's a great helper! It acts as a biological control agent. This means it helps farmers by eating tiny pests that harm plants, like aphids.
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About the Eleven-Spot Ladybird
The eleven-spot ladybird is a small insect, usually about 4 to 5 millimeters long. That's about the size of a pea! Like all ladybirds, it has a round, dome-shaped body. Its bright colors are a warning to birds and other predators. They learn that these ladybirds don't taste good.
What Do Eleven-Spot Ladybirds Eat?
These ladybirds are super helpful because they love to eat aphids. Aphids are tiny, soft-bodied insects that suck the sap from plants. They can cause a lot of damage to crops and garden plants. By eating aphids, the eleven-spot ladybird helps keep plants healthy without needing harmful chemicals.
In places like Central Europe, you'll often find these ladybirds munching on aphids that live on grasses. They live in many different places, like open fields, grassy areas near rivers, and even dry forest edges.
Where Do They Live?
Eleven-spot ladybirds are quite adaptable. They can live in many different environments. You might find them in:
- Open fields and meadows
- Grassy areas, including steppes (large, flat grasslands)
- Old stone quarries and empty lands
- Coastal areas, even near salty water
They are special because they can handle salty conditions. This means they can live in places where other insects might struggle. For example, they can feed on aphids that live on plants in salty areas.
Images for kids
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C. undecimpunctata
