{"id":2882,"date":"2017-02-25T12:42:03","date_gmt":"2017-02-25T01:42:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gosciencekids.com\/?p=2882"},"modified":"2017-02-25T14:05:26","modified_gmt":"2017-02-25T03:05:26","slug":"ladybird-life-cycle-craft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gosciencekids.com\/ladybird-life-cycle-craft\/","title":{"rendered":"Ladybird Life Cycle Craft: Learning about Metamorphosis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Not all ladybirds are red & spotty! Learn about metamorphosis and the life cycle of this cool yellow & black ladybird beetle. Fun spring nature study<\/a> craft for kids.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Paperplate<\/p>\n

This spring we’ve been inundated with ladybirds (or ladybugs or ladybeetles as you might call them). Except that our ladybirds are not red, and they aren’t spotty!<\/p>\n

The ladybirds in our backyard are always yellow and black, and they have a cool mask \/ zigzag pattern on their back instead of spots.<\/p>\n

\"Fungus-eating<\/p>\n

My 4 year old daughter Bumble Bee is obsessed with insects and entomology. So of course, these yellow and black ladybirds presented the perfect opportunity to learn more!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

Suitable for<\/h3>\n

Try this nature study activity with preschoolers<\/a> or kindergarteners<\/a>. Bumble Bee had just turned 4 years old when we did this.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

But first – can I tell you the most adorable thing? I just found out that a group of ladybirds is called a “loveliness of ladybirds” or a “loveliness of ladybugs”. Isn’t that so sweet! We have a loveliness of ladybirds in our backyard. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

\"fungus-eating<\/p>\n

Anyway, back to our story. Turns out that the yellow and black zig-zag ladybirds in our backyard are actually called Fungus-eating Ladybirds (illeis galbula<\/em>), and they feed on tiny spots of black mould that grow on the underside of leaves (and, as I discovered, on the underside of our dog kennel). And here I was thinking all ladybirds ate aphids!<\/p>\n

This particular ladybird is actually native to New Zealand, but seems to have infiltrated much of Sydney. Sydney’s a very humid city in spring and summer, so it makes sense that black mould and fungus-eating ladybirds would both thrive here.<\/p>\n

\"Lifecycle<\/p>\n

Ladybirds undergo a complete metamorphosis<\/em>, just like a butterfly, changing from an egg to larva to pupa to ladybird.<\/p>\n

We found lots of ladybird larvae all over our backyard – they’re super speedy, running around all over the place! The pupa took a little more searching as they seek a secluded place to undergo their transformation. I found many stuck to the underneath of our dog kennel, where they (normally) wouldn’t be disturbed. Once the metamorphosis process is complete, they break through the pupal casing and emerge as a beautiful yellow and black ladybird, complete with wings!<\/p>\n

\"larva\"Pupal<\/p>\n

contains affiliate links*<\/sup> to similar products<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

fungus-eating ladybird Life Cycle craft<\/h2>\n

Bumble Bee and I decided to create a fungus-eating ladybird life cycle craft, that tracks all the stages that this ladybird goes through, from egg to metamorphosis.<\/p>\n

We used:<\/p>\n