• Question: Why do ladybugs have spots?

    Asked by lillygrass to Asif, Laura, Lena, Sean, Viv on 15 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Laura Waters

      Laura Waters answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      I would guess it is for survival. Either attraction to a mate, camoflage from predators or to make them look nasty so nobody eats them. Not sure which one though!

    • Photo: Lena Ciric

      Lena Ciric answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      The bright patterns on ladybugs is there to ward of predators so that they don’t eat them.

    • Photo: Sean Murphy

      Sean Murphy answered on 15 Mar 2012:

      Ladybugs taste awful, and have a very weak toxin in their tissues. The bright colours are a warning to predators that they really don’t want a mouthful of this. It’s the opposite to camouflage. Being noxious, they don’t have to hide. Instead, it’s beneficial to them to advertise the fact.

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