As The Nest serves children growing up in an urban environment, we try to connect with nature whenever possible, whether it’s finding a worm at the park or raising ladybug beetles from larvae in the classroom.
This week we began tracking the development of ladybugs from larvae to adulthood. It was at first confusing that the ladybugs currently look more like ants, but we will observe the different stages until they reach the familiar red and black.
We discussed our role in keeping their environment safe and what food and drink the larvae need to grow. It is surprising that the larvae can climb upside down on the lid of the jar.
Magnifying glasses were available for the children to closely observe the ladybug larvae.
At activity time, Miss Santos led observational drawing. She showed the children that the larvae has six legs, three on each side.
At the end of the day, we read a non-fiction book about ladybugs.
We learned:
Female ladybugs can eat 70 aphids a day.
When the larvae are growing they shed their skin, just like the snake in Rikki Tikki Tavi.
Ladybugs can bite.
Ladybugs keep their wings under their elytra (hard shell).
