Quick answers
| Question | Answer | Scope | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What they eat | Small pest insects and mites, above all aphids and scale insects. Both adults and larvae hunt. | Lady beetles found in Colorado | Colorado State University Extension | |
| Do they eat plants? | Larvae eat only prey. Adults sometimes top up with pollen, nectar or honeydew. | Lady beetles found in Colorado | Colorado State University Extension | |
| How long the eggs take | Usually five to seven days, faster or slower with temperature. | Lady beetles found in Colorado | Colorado State University Extension | |
| Life cycle | Egg, larva, pupa, adult: a complete metamorphosis, like every beetle. | All lady beetles | Colorado State University Extension | |
| Where they go in winter | The multicolored Asian lady beetle gathers in sheltered spots in October and November and waits out the winter there, sometimes inside houses. | Multicolored Asian lady beetle only; South Carolina and Colorado pages | Clemson Cooperative Extension; Colorado State University Extension | |
| Do they bite? | Occasionally. The multicolored Asian lady beetle can bite and may draw blood on tender skin. | Multicolored Asian lady beetle only | Clemson Cooperative Extension |
In the sources’ own words
What they eat
Colorado State University Extension, Lady Beetles“Adults and larvae feed on a variety of pest insects and mites, notably aphids and scales.”
Scope: Lady beetles found in Colorado
Do they eat plants?
Colorado State University Extension, Lady Beetles“Although most lady beetles are strictly predators when larvae, adult lady beetles may occasionally supplement this diet by feeding on pollen, nectar, or honeydew.”
Scope: Lady beetles found in Colorado
How long the eggs take
Colorado State University Extension, Lady Beetles“As with all insects, the development rate depends on temperature.”
“The lady beetle egg stage typically lasts five to seven days.”
Scope: Lady beetles found in Colorado
Life cycle
Colorado State University Extension, Lady Beetles“Lady beetles, like all beetles, undergo "complete metamorphosis" during development.”
Scope: All lady beetles
Where they go in winter
Clemson Cooperative Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles“Adults often cluster together in October and November to overwinter in sheltered locations.”
Colorado State University Extension, Lady Beetles“The multicolored Asian lady beetle may be a nuisance when they enter homes during winter, often in large numbers.”
Scope: Multicolored Asian lady beetle only; South Carolina and Colorado pages
Do they bite?
Clemson Cooperative Extension (Home & Garden Information Center), Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles“Occasionally, the beetles may bite and can draw blood on tender skin.”
Scope: Multicolored Asian lady beetle only
What these sources do not say
- How long an adult lady beetle lives. None of the three pages gives a lifespan, so we do not either.
- Whether native lady beetles bite. The biting note is written about the multicolored Asian lady beetle only.