Ladybugs are Asian beetles commonly called lady beetles.Along with thousands of other species these ladybugs belong to the Coccinellidae family. The insects have a bright coloration of the skin with the entire body being orange, red, or yellow and covered with black spots.The lady beetle or often termed as the Asian lady was first noticed by the farmers of Europe when these bugs started feeding on the crops. Even though the bugs are food to the birds, these bugs on the other hand feed on the pests of the field. So, the bugs are called by the name of beetle of our lady as they save the crops from the unwanted pests. From this title, the name of the bug was cut down to ladybug or lady beetle. It is estimated that there are around 5000 species present in the world and they are seen in many different colors and sizes. Out of all these different types, the most common bug is the one from North America with bright red skin and black spots.If you like reading this, you might want to check out are all spiders venomous and are millipedes dangerous.Harmful Effects Of Ladybugs On HumansEven though ladybugs were mostly used as a primitive method of pest control by European farmers, their bite does not cause any harm to humans. Since the beetles were used for pest control they are known to have some poisonous effects on aphids and other crop-eating pests.There are around 6000 members of this insect species who are known to release a foul smell as a method of defense to protect themselves from the predators who feed on them. The smell is known to affect animals. They are known to have very vibrant colors as a sign of being poisonous and being bad tasting. Ladybugs were mainly introduced to North American countries to protect the crops and hence they might have a toxic effect on the critters as well as an on house pets. Along with these insects, a few birds and lizards are seen to have toxic reactions due to the bug. During the winter months, they are known to find a home in a garden, house, or garage. During this time, if they come in contact with the pets or if they bite it causes unwanted irritation and chemical allergic burns to the pets. Apart from that, the beetles are known not known to harm humans and have a cordial parallel existence with us. The ladybug who the larger potions of food will have a higher rate of surviving along with a higher chance of being toxic to other animals.Effects Of Eating LadybugsThe Asian species are toxic and slightly poisonous when they bite other animals and humans, however, consuming them would not cause any severe consequences.In the case of pets, ladybugs may cause constipation or vomiting but when humans eat them it does not cause a fatal reaction. The species are not very toxic to humans unless the immunity system of the human is not strong then it might create some allergic reaction. Even though they do not cause any major health issues, consuming them would not be advisable. In few cases, medical assistance was needed in order to treat allergic reactions. They are known to have a bitter taste and attract the attention of kids when are seen in clusters near windows. When kids eat a ladybug, it might be comparatively dangerous as they have hard shells and might cause irritation near the throat and the bitter taste is known to linger for quite a long time.Poisonous Effects Of A Ladybug On A DogAlthough the Asian lady is known to eat pests and cause no harm to humans with their bites, they may be poisonous to a dog. According to an article by the American Kennel Club, these insects cause an allergic reaction in the digestive tract by releasing a repellent odor or when the dog is seen eating them.Since ladybugs are known to crawl and live in plants or logs in the gardens of the residencies, their vibrant colors attract dogs towards them. The article shows that when the dog eats the ladybugs it cause the intestinal tract to have an allergic sensation similar to a chemical burn. The bite may cause some momentary changes in their behavior. Sudden changes are noticed as well which includes immediate drooling from the mouth and a feeling of nausea. Since the shells of the ladybugs are hard to digest, the lumps cause constipation. In some cases, vomiting has been seen as well where the lumps of shells were seen in the mouth or stuck in the throat of the dog. During these situations, it is advised to take the dog immediately to the vet for medical assistance. Apart from dogs, a few pet cats were seen consuming these ladybugs but they did not have too severe or harmful reactions to it and no medical help was needed.Characteristics Of A LadybugNeedless to say, ladybugs are extremely vibrant and eye-catching when it comes to their appearance. Their vibrant coloration indicates their toxic nature and is a warning emitted by the species to ward off predators.Ladybugs are mostly seen to have a distinctive coloration of either red, orange, or yellow with 7-11 spots on their body. Some of them have brown shades with black stripes as well. The Asian lady is known to have a partially oval or round body with a pair of black wings on the side. In some cases, they have a dome-like shape on the upper portion with comparatively flattening lower parts. The wings have a distinctive black pattern on them which makes them easily recognizable. Even though most of the members of this species have recognizable characteristics, they do not have the exact same features. The shell is generally oval for most of the lady beetles with three pairs of legs. They are known to have distinctive mouths with black eyes. The ladybugs are as big as 0.39 in (1 cm) but the smallest one was recorded to be around 0.03 in (1 mm).Lady beetles are mostly found in grasslands or forests along with gardens in cities. Even though these red or orange bugs are most common in North America, they are native to Europe and were brought to America in order to keep the increasing population of the aphids in check. They are most comfortable and breed during the spring and the fall season. During the onset of winter, the lady beetles look for a warmer place in order to hibernate. Warm places, like behind rocks in a garden or in the cracks of the rotting logs, are home to these critters, and thousands of these species can be spotted hibernating here. Ladybugs are known to release a foul smell to the fingers when touched to ward off humans or predators.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for are ladybugs poisonous then why not take a look at are insects animals, or ladybug facts pages!
Ladybugs are Asian beetles commonly called lady beetles.
