Our ladybird
Adalia bipunctata (two-point ladybirds) is an European species of beetles in the family Coccinellid-ea. It has two dots on its red or black elytra.
Adalia bipunctata ladybirds are efficient aphid predators found in Europe.
They lay 20 to 50 eggs per day, usually under the leaves of plants. Once hatched, larvae actively looks for aphids. During 20 days, larvae go through 4 stages. After that, they pupate for 8 days and the adults emerge by tearing the pupal envelope.
Aphids
Spring brings also aphids. The tiny invaders, belonging to the family Aphidoidae, attack flowers and plants.
Living as a colony, they feed on the sap of plants and produce in large quantities a sweet and sticky substance called honeydew. A black fungus develops on honeydew, it’s the sooty mold. This fun-gus reduces the photosynthesis of plants and contributes to their weakening. By attacking almost all plants and thanks to a very fast mode of reproduction, aphids are particularly formidable pests. This can affect the vital capital of plants and be the cause of many aesthetic nuisances.
Aphids have many natural enemies including ladybird larva Adalia bipunctata.
