by Jonte Rhodes

Created on: February 19, 2009

The idea of ladybugs biting is a popular idea, although in actual fact most of the time isn't true in most cases. There are however several hundred different species, meaning that although some of the could potentially bite, the more common species commonly encountered in your own garden usually wont ever bite. The species of ladybug that tend to be able to pierce human skin tend to be a lot less common than the species most people are used to seeing every summer.

The mouth parts of most common ladybug species are specialized for slicing open the skin of aphids, and other similar species, which they consume in great numbers. Their mouth parts are sharp, although in most species they would be far to small to be able to pierce human skin, and ladybugs are also not generally aggressive when handled. Generally when something that they consider to be a predator attacks or handles, them, their first response is simply to fold their legs under their body and flatten themselves against the surface that they are on. This response means that only their armored back is exposed, making smaller predators such as ants unable to harm them.

Although most common species are unable to bite, some of the larger species, which tend to be found in tropical climates, as well as arts of Asia, are capable of biting on occasion. This generally occurs when the ladybugs are being held incorrectly, or when they are already injured. The most common response from a ladybug having been picked up is simply to run along the surface of whatever you put them on. So for example if you put one on your arm, it will usually simply run along your arm looking for a plant containing their prey species rather than biting you.

Many species of ladybug also have an entirely different method of defense, which they will commonly use when handled. Most species are capable of producing an orange blood like substance from their skin then handled or if a predator tries to eat them. This liquid is both foul tasting and poisonous, often deterring predators fro continuing to eat them. Although there are many species of beetle capable of this feat, ladybugs are often mistaken as being injured when this happens. For the most part the amounts of this liquid are so small that they would be harmless if ingested by a human, although in some species this liquid can burn the skin if left for sufficient time.

The majority of the time ladybugs are usually found alongside their prey, and so are usually seen on the stems of plants

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