Have you ever seen a Lady Bug that looks like it came out of a black and white T.V.? Well this post is all about the Ashy Gray Lady Beetle and a few facts you might not know.
Is it a Lady bug?
When you say Lady Bug, most people think of a red bug with black spots. Did you know they can come in all sorts of colors? The most common one you probably have seen is that red and black color. They can also come in a variety of other colors such as yellow and black and even black and white.
Sometimes the color variations come about because they are a slightly different species of lady beetle. One example is the Ashy Gray Lady beetle. Even this species can have different variations in color. One being the grey with black spots and another being all black with two red spots.
This black and red form has also been called the “twice stabbed lady beetle” as the two red splotches look similar to open wounds. The Ashy Gray lady beetle can be found throughout different parts of the world including most commonly in Central America, North America, and Oceania.
Why are lady beetles colored like this?
The various colors lady beetles have is more of a defense mechanism than anything else. It typically acts as a warning sign to their predators.
Most lady beetles are poisonous to some animals and when threatened, some will actually release a foul odor as well. In addition to their unique colors, lady beetles shells are also incredibly hard to help keep them safe.
If their colors don’t scare off predators, which they usually do, they have their tough shells to use as shields to protect themselves from danger. They also like to play dead and when confronted with a predator, often remaining motionless until the predator goes away.
Are Ashy Gray Lady Beetles Dangerous?
Lady beetles luckily aren’t dangerous to humans, in fact they can actually be helpful. The only problem can be during winter months and as seasons transition from fall to winter, as sometimes this can cause certain invasive species of lady beetles to enter your home in mass numbers.
During months when they are free to roam outdoors, they actually tend to be helpful to humans, rather than a nuisance or pest. The big reason for this is the fact that Lady beetles feed on aphids, which can cause damage to plants and crops.
Sometimes, lady beetles have been used as a form of natural pest control, but as we said above, that can unintentionally have negative consequences come winter time.
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