Seven-spotted Ladybugs are here to stay.

Larva, pupa, and adult forms of 7- spotted ladybird beetle.

The scene is a familiar one that we have either seen in movies or read about in books as children.  The Tyrannosaur, a large, predatory dinosaur wading through a herd of gentle hadrosaurs, picking them off at will.  The carnage and chaos are unprecedented.   

Now, take that scene and shrink it in size about a million times, and you have a ladybug meandering through a colony of aphids.  The predator may seem like a villain, dismembering the helpless herbivores, but really it is a benevolent carnivore, removing harmful insects before they can cause too much damage to the plants they have invaded.

The seven-spotted ladybird beetle is now a common find in much of North America, although 28 years ago its presence was unknown on this continent.  It was first seen in New Jersey in 1973; since then it has spread far and wide.  

They are considered invasive, meaning harmful to native populations.  They tolerate cold weather better than endemic species, consume their eggs and young, and outcompete them for food and shelter.  Yet they are still welcome, as they are very effective at ridding the garden of unwanted pests.

As invasive species go, the 7-spotted ladybug isn't that bad, although it also isn't good news for endemic species.  Also, there is the projection of luck should an adult land on you.  With the seven spots, it nicely cancels out any worries the omen from breaking any mirrors recently.  The math speaks for itself.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com