How does the presence of ladybugs change across the school year? What might explain those changes? 

• Which species of ladybugs do we find at our school? Are they native, non-native, or both?
• What features of our school grounds make the space habitable/uninhabitable for native ladybugs? 

How can we improve habitat for ladybugs in our schoolyard?

As students consider why native/non-native ladybugs have (or have not) been found on your campus this month, it would be a good time to analyze your data to try to discover what it might tell you about your schoolyard in order to continue to consider how you might improve the habitat for ladybugs. 

Are your students finding any ladybugs? If so, where are they finding them? Discussing these questions this month will help your students explore these questions, but can also help them understand how different ladybug species overwinter. Have students examine their predictions related to the first question about the presence of ladybugs throughout the year and revise based on what they have learned about overwintering. As predictions evolve, it is helpful to keep a visible record of student thinking so that they can reflect on how their understanding has changed.

Ms. Jones’ class has been learning about the relationship between weather and climate and animals. After revisiting what they’ve learned about habitat and animals’ adaptations for survival in that habitat, Ms. Jones further elaborates on how some animals migrate or hibernate in colder months. Ms. Jones shares that she would like students to think about how these ideas connect with their study of ladybugs. She gives students time to talk in pairs about where they have been seeing ladybugs lately during the colder weather. Students share that they have been finding them in their homes, on the windowsills at school, and even in the wrapping around the soccer goal post on the playground field. 

Ms. Jones explains to students that ladybugs have adapted to the cold weather through a process called overwintering. She asks students to turn and talk about what they think “overwintering” means and she listens as students discuss their ideas. She asks several groups to share their thoughts with the whole group, which include “they move inside during the winter months to stay warm;” “ladybugs hibernate inside where it is warmer;” and “they don’t move much during the winter months to try to conserve energy.” Ms. Jones affirms these student responses and elaborates: Ladybugs actually become dormant and slow down their bodily processes through overwintering. They live off of stored fat in their bodies, move hardly at all, or gather in groups to stay warm.

As students continue to discuss why they may be seeing more ladybugs indoors in colder weather, they may wonder about what people’s reactions to ladybugs indoors might be. 

Ladybugs are impacted by human behavior, and human behavior is impacted by the media. Students can review positive and negative advertisements/blogs/posts/articles that contrast publicly available information about ladybugs. After, ask students to share what is different about each, where the information is sourced, who the audiences are, and the different perceptions it might lead people to have about ladybugs.

The following questions and possible student responses can be used to help guide a discussion on publicly shared information regarding ladybugs. At first, students can consider the teacher’s question individually, then share their thoughts in a small group. 

If we have ladybugs in our classrooms or in our homes, is that good or bad?

• They might crawl in your mouth while sleeping.
• They might be food for your pet.
• If there are other bugs in your house, they could eat those bugs.
• Aren’t they considered a sign of good luck?

Do you think everyone likes ladybugs in their homes or classrooms?

• Some people might think it is lucky to have them in their homes. 
• Some people may not like ladybugs in their homes or classrooms. 
• Not everyone will like ladybugs being indoors. 

After reading an article about ladybugs, ask: Was this article mostly positive or mostly negative, and why?

• If the article was mostly positive, students may respond with specific quotes from the article suggesting a positive tone:
• They would eat pests and make your plants be ok 
• Aphids are hard to get off of the leaves of plants, so ladybugs help get rid of them.” 
• Ladybugs release pheromones which attract them to one another in one place
• If the article was mostly negative, students may respond with specific quotes from the article suggesting a negative tone: 
• Dealing with a ladybug issue. 
• “Infestation” 
• They cause stains to fabrics and paper products.
• They can bite.
• The article had a guide for removing ladybugs from your home suggesting they vacuum them up.

During the warmer, drier months, ladybugs will be most prevalent, however once the weather cools and potentially becomes wetter, they will be looking for remote places to stay warm, including under rocks or logs and inside homes or buildings. While attempting to stave off the cold, ladybugs will become dormant, slowing down their body’s needs in a process called overwintering. They will live off of the fat in their bodies, move very slowly or hardly at all, and gather in groups to stay warm. Once the weather warms again, they will begin to move around much more, feed, and again, be much more prevalent outside. More information can be found in the Ladybugs in the Winter section of the teacher content resources.

Ladybugs have numerous other adaptations that help them survive in an ecosystem. 

• Their small size allows for quick and easy hiding in leaves, grasses, and just about anywhere. 
• Ladybugs have a foul taste and their bright color warns predators of this. 
• Ladybugs have a hard outer shell known as the elytra. This outer shell is a special type of wing modified into a hard case that protects them and hides their inner wings. As a result, ladybugs can fly away to escape from predators or search for a new place to find food or lay eggs. 
• Ladybugs lay their eggs on a plant that will provide a food source (usually insect prey) for their larvae.

A habitat is the environment in which plants and animals live and grow because they have what they need to survive: food, water, and shelter. An ecosystem is where living and nonliving things (e.g., water, air) interact within an area. 

A ladybug’s survival is interconnected to the plants in an ecosystem. The plants provide food for the aphids they consume, shelter for protection, as well as a place to lay eggs. Without the plants in the ecosystem, the ladybug would not survive. 

It may be challenging to locate ladybugs outdoors during the winter months. Consider the following tips for navigating winter weather and looking for ladybugs as a class. 

• Remind students to dress appropriately for the weather (e.g., coats, layered clothing, hats/scarfs/gloves, boots)
• If your students do not have appropriate clothing, consider asking for donations from your PTA or a local community organization, or visit a thrift shop to keep some items in your classroom for use as needed. 
• During the winter, some days may be milder than others, and they are usually forecast several days in advance. Consider scheduling your ladybug searches on these days. 
• Look carefully under logs, rocks, or fallen leaves to search for ladybugs in the cooler weather. 
• Ladybugs of some species like to overwinter indoors. Take a “hike” inside your school building looking at windows, doorways, the floor, and ceiling light fixtures in different locations. Ask your colleagues to alert you if ladybugs are spotted in their classrooms.