Did you know ladybugs are one kind of beetle? They have an interesting life cycle and food habits. Ladybugs are even good as pets. Keep reading to learn about their food habits and wonderful facts about them.
Do ladybugs drink water?
Yes, ladybugs do drink water. Usually, they get water from their food. Most of the ladybugs’ foods have enough moisture for their living. But they will drink water if the day is hot or food source is scarce. They don’t need to stay near a water source for water. Dewdrops are enough for them.
Usually, ladybugs don’t need to drink extra water to live. Ladybugs eat aphids, pollen, nectar, and other foods that provide them with enough water for their body to function. They also drink resins, sugar water, and honey.
As ladybugs are very small, they don’t need much water for their living. A drop of morning due should be enough for them.
Insects like ladybugs lose life for many reasons but not usually for old age. Most of the time they lose life because of dehydration or lack of food sources. Some other insects can get moisture from plants, but ladybugs usually can’t do that.
Small insects like ladybugs usually avoided big water sources. If they fall into water that will be the end of his life in most cases. So, they evolved to rely on alternative water sources like due or food.
Insects have a high rate of dehydration as they have small bodies. A smaller body means a consequent high surface area to volume ratio. So, if a ladybug can’t find moisture or shade from the sun, it will lose life sooner than other animals. Check out if those ladybugs need water.
Orange ladybugs:
Orange ladybugs eat mostly small aphids and Erysiphaceae on trees. They get water from their diet. Can drink water if necessary.
Red ladybugs:
A red ladybug can consume about 5000 aphids in its lifetime and it is the main source of its food and drink. Drinks water in dry condition.
Blue ladybugs:
Blue ladybugs live on a variety of insects, larvae, and eggs. They also get water from their food. They also can drink water if necessary.
Babyladybugs:
Baby or larvae ladybugs eat the same food and drink as an adult ladybug does. They even eat their eggshells after their hatching. They drink water if needed.
How do you feed ladybugs water in the house?
Follow those tips to feed ladybugs water in the home,
Use a cotton ball or paper napkin:
Use a cotton ball or paper napkin to feed water to your ladybugs. Soak the cotton ball in water and keep it in the ladybug’s home.
Don’t use a bowl or a pot:
Don’t use a bowl or a pot to feed your ladybug water.
Add water:
Add water to the cotton ball every two days.
What do and don’t ladybugs drink?
Ladybugs terminate aphids and suck the body fluid from them. They also drink nectar, dewdrop, and any sweet juice that comes out of plants. Fruits are also a good option if available. But there is a variety of drinks you can offer to your pet ladybug. But not everything.
Aphids are the most common food for ladybugs. Aphids live on sucking the nutrients from plants. They make a colony and stay in a group.
Aphids have above 80% of water content in their body. So, as you can see, aphids are ready-made soup for ladybugs containing high protein, nutrients, and water.
Moreover, aphids grow very fast in numbers. And they are super easy to catch for ladybugs as they are almost defenseless. In a colony of aphids, there are different ages and sizes. So ladybug larvae can easily catch the smaller ones.
While aphids and other larvae are harmful to plants, ladybugs are very good friends for your garden. They also visit flowers to find nectar. This is how they can also help to pollinate your flowers.
If you have pet ladybugs you can offer them different drinks for rehydration. But some drinks may cause harmful effects on them. Check out what drinks you can and can’t give to your pet ladybug.
Nectar:
Wild ladybugs drink nectar from flowers if available. Nectars are a good source of glucose and water.
But for pet ladybugs, it’s not possible to divide nectar from a flower. But you can feed honey. But don’t overfeed.
Orange juice:
No, oranges contain organic acids that can be harmful to them. Oranges are not a natural food for ladybugs. But an orange tree can attract aphids and aphids attract ladybugs. However, ladybugs are okay with other non-acidic fruit juice.
Sugar water:
Yes, sugar water is the best option to feed your pet ladybugs. Mix water and sugar at 1:4 for your pet ladybugs. It’s easy to make and always available.
You can also feed wasps to your ladybugs. It contains carbohydrates and protein. Simply add the same amount of sugar, water, and yeast and provide it to your ladybugs.
Blood:
Aphid blood? Yes. But no source says ladybugs drink blood. Ladybugs have no interest in biting people and drinking blood.
Blood is a good source of nutrients and some other bugs drink it. But ladybugs should not eat blood normally. However, if a ladybug is starving from dehydration, it can drink anything.
Milk:
Ladybug does not like acidic food and milk has lactic acid. So, it’s not good food for your pet ladybugs.
Coffee:
Well, it’s like offering a rat for rat poison for dinner. Coffee works as a natural insecticide. And you may end up terminating your ladybug if you feed him coffee or tea.
How do ladybugs drink water?
They use labium (mouth) to drink water. Don’t put water in a bowl or bottle cap. The ladybug may fall into the water and even lose life. They don’t usually drink water, but to be on the safe side, soak a paper or cloth on water and keep it in ladybugs’ homes.
You can also soak the paper with sugar water to attract them. Make sure the paper or cloth is not dry for long. Check it every two days.
If you provide honey, resins, or sugar water, they will not need extra water. Make sure not to overfeed them.
Feed them two times a day. Keep in mind that they eat a lot for their size. So if you are keeping lots of ladybugs, make sure to provide enough.
Are you thinking of keeping ladybugs for weeks or even forever? Well, it would be a bit hard. In this case, you will need aphids for their happiness.
In the wild, aphids are primary foods for ladybugs. So, it is not possible to keep them for a longer period without their primary food.
You can find aphids on nearby bushes or plants. A pet shop may sell them.
How often do ladybugs drink? How long can ladybugs go without water?
Ladybugs drink or eat 2-3 times a day. If you have a pet ladybug, provide food or drink 2 times a day.
Only 2-3 drops of water are enough for the ladybug. Alongside 2 times feeding a day, keep a soaked sponge or cotton ball. It would be enough for the ladybug.
Don’t give too much or too little food or drinks to ladybugs. It is important for their survival.
Do not keep a big water source. They may fall and drown. A ladybug can swim for 30 minutes to one hour.
Ladybugs can survive a couple of days without water or liquid food sources. If you only provide water and no food, it’s also about two days.
In the wild, ladybugs can survive one year. But most ladybugs can’t live that long for various reasons. But indoors, some records say, ladybugs can live up to 2 years.
How and what do baby ladybugs eat and drink?
Ladybugs lay eggs in a plant that has enough food sources for the babies. After hatching ladybug larvae, the babies can start eating foods of adult ladybugs.
The larvae eat their eggshells and infertile eggs to get a boost. Ladybugs lay more infertile eggs when their food source is limited. Larvae eat soft body plant insects like mites, adelgids, scale insects, and insect eggs. They can also eat other ladybug eggs.
Larvae, ladybugs also drink nectar, due, pollen, and other normal foods of adult ladybugs.
If you have ladybug eggs and you want to hatch them, make sure to provide enough aphids to the larvae as they need more food than adults for their rapid growth.
Ladybug larvae need high protein foods which can not be replaceable with nectar and sugar water etc.
Final thoughts
Ladybugs drink water but usually, they don’t need to. They can easily hydrate themselves from aphids, nectar, resins, and other food sources. Ladybugs eat up most plant pests and eggs. It’s a nice addition to your home garden for its benefits and beauty.