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ladybird beetle
ladybird beetle or ladybug, member of a cosmopolitan beetle family with over 4,000 species, including 350 species in the United States. Ladybird beetles are mostly under 1/4 in. (6 mm) long and are nearly hemispherical in shape, with very short legs. They are usually red or yellow with black spots, or black with red or yellow spots, the common species differing only in the number of spots. They have a bitter taste, and their bright coloration is thought to serve as a warning to predators. The name is believed to date from the Middle Ages, when these beneficial beetles were dedicated to the Virgin. Nearly all ladybird beetles, both larvae and adults, are predators on destructive, plant-eating insects. The eggs are laid on plants infested with aphids or scale insects, on which the larvae feed until they pupate in the remains of the last larval skin. The adults gather in large numbers in the fall, prior to winter hibernation, and are often collected at that time by farmers for use in pest control. The first outstanding demonstration of pest control by use of natural enemies occurred in the United States in 1889, when Australian ladybird beetles ( Rhodolia cardinalis ) were imported to wipe out the cottony-cushion scale, an insect that had accidentally been imported from Australia to California and there became a threat to citrus orchards. The Mexican bean beetle ( Epilachna varivestis ), which has spread through E North America, and the squash beetle ( E. borealis ) are the only North American ladybird beetles considered destructive. They are yellowish with black spots; adults and larvae feed on plants. Ladybird beetles are classified in the phylum Arthropoda , class Insecta, order Coleoptera, family Coccinellidae. |
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"ladybird beetle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ladybird beetle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ladybird.html "ladybird beetle." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-ladybird.html |
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ladybird
ladybird (ladybug) Any of a large number of small, brightly coloured beetles; the most common are red with conspicuous black spots and a black and white head. Ladybirds and their larvae are regarded as useful by farmers because their diet consists primarily of aphids. Family Coccinellidae.
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"ladybird." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ladybird." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ladybird.html "ladybird." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-ladybird.html |
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ladybird
ladybird the ladybird is traditionally regarded as lucky, and its name (‘Our Lady's bird’) associates it with the Virgin Mary.
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ladybird." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ladybird." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ladybird.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ladybird." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ladybird.html |
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ladybird
ladybird See COCCINELLIDAE.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "ladybird." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "ladybird." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-ladybird.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "ladybird." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-ladybird.html |
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ladybird
ladybird •absurd, bird, Byrd, curd, engird, gird, Heard, herd, Kurd, misheard, nerd, overheard, reheard, third, turd, undergird, undeterred, unheard, unstirred, word
•blackbird • yardbird • cage bird
•jailbird • seabird • ladybird
•dickybird • mockingbird • whirlybird
•hummingbird • nightbird • songbird
•shorebird • bluebird • lovebird
•lyrebird • bowerbird • thunderbird
•waterbird • weaverbird • Sigurd
•swineherd • cowherd • goatherd
•potsherd • catchword • password
•headword • swear word • keyword
•byword • watchword • crossword
•foreword • loanword • buzzword
•afterword
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"ladybird." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "ladybird." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ladybird.html "ladybird." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-ladybird.html |
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