INCREDIBLE INSECTS115- EGG LAYING Insects
reproduce by laying eggs.
After mating, a female
ladybug lays her eggs on a
leaf. About a week later, the
larvae emerge. - ADULT The new adult’s
wing cases expand and
harden into a protective
shield. The color darkens
and the distinctive ladybug
spots appear. The
cycle can now
begin again. - HATCHING The
larvae look nothing
like their parents!
They have a soft
body covering,
called a cuticle,
which soon
hardens and
turns dark. - GROWING The larva
must eat lots of food to
grow. Over about four
weeks it will kill and eat
hundreds of sap-sucking
aphids. - PUPATING When the
larva is ready to pupate, it
fixes itself to the underside
of a leaf and sheds its skin,
revealing a soft cuticle
underneath. This “pupal
cuticle” takes about a week
to turn hard and dark. The
larva does not move during
this time. - EMERGENCE
A week later, the pupal
cuticle splits open and a
new adult ladybug crawls
out. To begin with, its body
and wing cases are soft
and lack the typical
bright color and spots.
LADYBUG LIFECYCLE
IS IT A BEE OR WASP?
O There are about 20,000
bee species.
O Social bees live in colonies in
nests made of beeswax.
O Bees feed on nectar and
pollen from plants.
O Bees have hairier bodies
than wasps.
O A bee can sting only once—
the sting is ripped out of the
bee’s abdomen and left behind
in the victim. The bee will die
soon after.O There are around 75,000
species of wasp.
O Social wasps live in nests made
out of paper, which they make by
chewing wood.
O Wasps eat other insects.
O Wasps are more brightly colored
than bees.
O A wasp’s sting can be used many
times. Like bees, only females have
a stinger. It is adapted from her
ovipositor—the tube through which
she lays her eggs.Bees feed on nectar... ... but wasps eat other insects.Warning colors
Many insects protect
themselves from predators
by storing toxins in their
bodies. They then warn
predators by displaying
bright colors, usually red,
orange, or yellow.
Monarch and viceroy
butterflies, which look
similar, both benefit from
a color and pattern that
say “I taste really bad!”Insect camouflage
Another great way of
avoiding being eaten
is to make yourself
invisible. Many insects
are masters of disguise,
able to hide in full view
of predators by blending
in perfectly with their
background. Can you
spot this moth?
Rustic sphinx moth Manduca rusticaLIVING WORLDMonarch
Danaus plexippusViceroy
Limenitis archippusThere are many differences between these similar-looking insects.(c) 2012 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.(c) 2012 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.