What is the significance of a ladybug''s spots?

Answer 1

Bright colored animals like the Coccinellidae, the Lady Beetle family, are warning predators how bad they taste. Most coccinellids are poisonous to smaller predators, such as lizards and small birds. The spots are eye spots that are also typical in alerting or alarming predators. However there may be more to the colr than just warning predators.
Current theory suggests the color gradations in the 2 spot Lady Beetle may relate to infrared absorption meaning the darker color appears in regions with less infrared (more cloud, high latitudes). The darker animals absorb more heat so are more active. The species like the two spot, Adalia bipunctata, have black morphs as well as a range of colors, over 100 have been named. So the purpose of the spots and color variation as well as body size differences may be involved in mate selection and survival ability. Large, dark, active individuals have the advantage in absorbing infrared in areas where daylight is limited. Females will mate by preference with dark males or light males depending on where they live.
http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/insects/coccinellidae.htm

Bugsie is correct the variable spot numbering is to unreliable to determine the species and has no link to sex. Coloration though is also just as variable. Several colors within one specie are called color morphs. There can be many color morphs or just two. Lady beetles like Harmonia axyridis can vary in background coloration varying from near yellow to near red. They can have no spots through to ten spots.
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/lady.html

There can even be harlequin lady beetles see photos.
http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recognition_and_distinction.htm#
http://bugguide.net/node/view/397

14-spot Ladybird Propylea quatuordecimpunctata has square to oval spots in a near checker board.

Orange ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata has white spots.

22-spot ladybird Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata feeds on mildew. http://www.gwydir.demon.co.uk/insects/coccinellidae.htm

Answer 2

The spots and the coloration go hand in hand when it comes to the ladybugs survival. Ladybugs are brightly colored to advertise to predators that they aren't worth the effort. And if disturbed, they can release a very foul smelling chemical from their "knees" to help keep enemies at bay. The enemies associate the bright reds, oranges, and black spots with these unappetizing chemicals and they avoid eating the ladybugs. This color pattern is so successful that even ladybugs that are not distasteful "mimic" the colors of the poisonous ones. Amphibians are another example of this color scheme, specifically frogs and toads. Bright colors in the animal world are a signal to other animals that this food source may be poisonous or very nasty tasting. Hope this answers your question. And by the way, did you know that you can fit 70,000 to 80,000 ladybugs in a 1 lb jar. Just a little trivia. That means that Bugsy must be releasing about 7 lbs of ladybugs a week.

**Billy Ray**

Answer 3

The spots are depended on the species. diffrent species have diffrent numbers of spots. But, number of spots is not the only thing to watch out for when identifing lady bugs, size and coloration are very important too. Generally speaking, these has a shiny shell are the good, pest eating ones. the plant eating pest, Epilachninae, usually has a fuzzy sort of shell, and they usually have 26 or 28 spots.

Answer 4

My job , or part of it is to release, 500thousand lady beetles a week for Integrated Pest Management Purpose.
There is NO significances to the spots.
It does not mean male or female, or sex , or age!
It also does not designate species. Sometimes , shades of color, or head spots do. But not usually back spots!

Answer 5

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Answer 6

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Answer 7

my mom used to tell me there was one spot for every year that the ladybug lived. i'm sure its not true but i think it was sweet to think that.

Answer 8

It signifies the type of ladybird they are, 2 spot, 5 spot etc. The 7 spot ladybird is the rarest.

Answer 9

The males are red with spots...the colors are meant to attract the female species.
Females are brown and without spots

Answer 10

Plain and simple? "camouflage". The spots break up the pattern of the insect's shape, making it more difficult for prey and predators to see.