ladybug issues...for those who are familiar with ladybug facts?

Question

this week ive found 3 ladybugs inside the house, 1 dead 2 flying around, each one in different days. i would have never imagined to see them at this time of the year especially now that winter is beginning. so my first question is, how on earth did they get in?? its 57F degrees here in florence, italy and the windows and doors are always shut closed, how did they get in??

my other question is, did i do the right thing...? 2 of the ones that were alive i softly picked up and placed on a plant outside. the other day i kept thinking...oops did i do the right thing?..i mean the reason why they are in is because they cant stand the cold or am i wrong? my house is packed with plants all alive and well, were they living off the plants i have here inside? what do they eat? did i kill them setting them outside..??

last question, simple and easy, do they eat off fruits as well? the dead one got trapped inside a bowl of apples sealed and closed. do they eat fruits?

thanks!

Answer 1

You can probably find the answers to your Ladybug question, at the webpage below.

Answer 2

As for how they got in I would expect that the eggs have been in your house or somewhere accessable to you house for several weeks now. As for putting them outside they are like sankes they slow down when they get cold.So they might of surived, but if the temp gets really cold outside at night (like 42F) them they are probably dead. Lady bugs are mostly carnivirous, so they eat other bugs mostly. I assume they eat plants also when they are young, so you probably did not kill them through starvation.