If you haven’t seen it yet, there’s a viral video on the internet of a ladybug following around a line drawn on paper. But why do ladybugs follow red lines like this? Let’s find out
Keeping various insect species as pets lets you make a variety of fun and interesting observations.
Bug nerds can spend hours watching various unique and intriguing behavioral trains among different insects.
If you have a ladybug, you might notice that it follows red lines drawn on a piece of paper. If you haven’t seen it yourself, here’s a video showing what they do:
While such behavior is remarkable, it’s not exclusive to your pet! This is a common trait among all species of ladybugs and many other insects.
They tend to follow red lines with quite a determination. Let’s explore and find out the explanation behind this behavior.
Why Do Ladybugs Follow Red Lines?
You may have discovered this interesting behavior of lady beetles by accident, but here’s a quick experiment that you can perform.
Place a ladybird on a piece of paper and start drawing a line with a red pen. You don’t need a straight line – it can even be completely irregular, more like a scribble.
You’ll likely find that the ladybug still follows the line, no matter what. Naturally, this raises a burning question about the reason behind such behavior.
There’s a clear scientific explanation behind this behavior, but let’s clear up a misconception before we get to it.
The red color is irrelevant – it’s the smell of the ink that matters.
The ladybugs don’t exactly chase the “red” line. They chase the train left by the ink as you draw the line.
The concept of ladybugs and termites following red lines emerged simply due to a coincidence.
Now, here’s what happens – the ink of ballpoint pens is often chemically similar to the pheromones used by ladybugs to communicate among themselves.
While not every ink shares such characteristics, some can get close enough to fool even the ladybugs.
They end up following the line you draw with the pen, assuming it to be a pheromone trail.
It’s all about the smell of the ink; the closer it is to ladybug pheromones, the likelier they are to follow.
Other fascinating facts about ladybugs
A ladybug’s tendency to follow lines is quite interesting, but it’s not the only fascinating detail about these cute little beetles. Here are a few more that you might enjoy:
1. Ladybug larvae resemble miniature alligators
In case you have never seen a ladybug larva or know how they look, you’ll never identify them as young ladybugs.
With long and spiny bodies, these larvae look very much like tiny alligators. They’re usually black, with bright yellow or red markings.
This is the complete opposite of the appearance of adult ladybugs. A ladybug larva has a pointed abdomen with legs coming out of the sides.
2. Ladybugs can be of various patterns and colors
When we hear “ladybug,” the image that comes to our mind is that of a small, dome-shaped insect with a bright red body and black spots.
This is the look we always associate ladybugs with, largely because that’s how the native ladybug and other common ladybug species look.
However, don’t be surprised if you come across a yellow ladybug or an orange ladybug, as these beetles do come in those colors too.
While these two types of ladybugs at least share similar patterns as native ladybugs, the twice-stabbed ladybug looks like an entirely different species.
This ladybug has a shiny black body, with a red dot on either side.
3. Ladybugs have a monstrous appetite
Did you know that just a single ladybug can feast on more than 5,000 insects throughout its life cycle?
Such a voracious appetite is one of the key reasons why ladybugs are one of the best agents of biological pest control.
A variety of ladybug species from around the world were even introduced to North America specifically to protect crops against pests.
The reason behind this monstrous appetite is simple – ladybugs hibernate during the winter, and they are simply building up fat reserves during the summer.
The appetite of a ladybug larva is even greater than that of an adult ladybug.
4. Ladybugs can turn to cannibalism
If you’re keeping ladybugs as pets, it’s a bad idea to put too many of them together unless there’s a large food source nearby to sustain all of them.
To sate their voracious appetite, ladybugs can even turn against each other and practice cannibalism if they do not have enough food available.
While ladybugs can’t eat hard-bodied insects (including other fully mature ladybugs), they can still feed on pupae, larvae, or nearly emerged ladybugs that are yet to harden.
Quite interestingly, female ladybugs often lay a bunch of infertile eggs for the newborn larvae to feed on if food is scarce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do ladybugs follow red pen lines?
The pheromone used by ladybugs to communicate has a similar chemical composition as chemicals commonly used in pen ink.
They rely on their sense of smell to detect pheromones, as a result of which lines drawn with pens appear to them as pheromone trails.
Do ladybugs have warning colors?
The color of a ladybug warns its predators against eating it. Bugs and beetles of bright colors are usually toxic, and it’s the same case with ladybugs too.
They synthesize poisonous alkaloids from the chemicals present in their prey. Asian lady beetles are known to secrete toxic blood from their legs when threatened.
Why do bugs not go over ink?
Just like ladybugs following ink trails, many bugs avoid crossing ink lines and end up trapped if you draw a circle around them.
This could be due to several reasons, such as the ink chemicals smelling similar to a pheromone they don’t link or the bugs not willing to step on the ink’s solvent.
Why won’t bugs cross a drawing?
Many bugs do not cross pen or chalk drawings, and there are several explanations behind this behavior.
They might find the smell of the ink unpleasant, or the chemicals in ink may be similar to the pheromone of a predator.
Many bugs can also sense the ink’s solvent with their feelers and are afraid to get stuck in it.
Wrap Up
Regardless of whether you need to curb the aphid population in your garden or simply love keeping different insects as pets, it’s worth getting a few ladybugs.
You’d enjoy spending some leisure time watching these cute beetles crawl around and go about their activities. Mostly harmless, ladybugs also make great pets for kids.
Thank you for reading!
36 Comments. Leave new
plz provide me the litrature and picture of Axion tripstulata because i have found the same lady bird but still confused
is it poisonous
one bit me
I’m going to disagree on this one as I just found a similar ladybug today in Cyprus and when I google Axion tripustulata a different ladybug with red spots on the shell comes up while these have orange false eye spots on the pronotum only.
I believe this, and the one I found today, are Curinus coeruleus which has a common name of Metallic Blue Lady Bug (from Bug Guide: coeruleus is a spelling variation of Latin caeruleus- “deep/dark blue, as the sky”) and it would make sense as Bug Guide also says that these are [n]ative to the Caribbean but widely introduced for biological control. Apparently imported to Florida from Mexico in the 1950s.
Makes even more sense given their preferred meals include Asian Citrus Psyllid.
Wish there had been a picture of the larva discussed above too as those are interesting in their variations as well and I saw a pretty pink version today. Be nice to know if they are similar as well.
Thanks so much Curious Girl. The correction is now reflected in the posting.
I’m going to disagree on this one as I just found a similar ladybug today in Cyprus and when I google Axion tripustulata a different ladybug with red spots on the shell comes up while these have orange false eye spots on the pronotum only.
I believe this, and the one I found today, are Curinus coeruleus which has a common name of Metallic Blue Lady Bug (from Bug Guide: coeruleus is a spelling variation of Latin caeruleus- “deep/dark blue, as the sky”) and it would make sense as Bug Guide also says that these are [n]ative to the Caribbean but widely introduced for biological control. Apparently imported to Florida from Mexico in the 1950s.
Makes even more sense given their preferred meals include Asian Citrus Psyllid.
Wish there had been a picture of the larva discussed above too as those are interesting in their variations as well and I saw a pretty pink version today. Be nice to know if they are similar as well.
You’re welcome. :^) It is curious indeed for me to be the one making an ID on a bug. :^D
Apparently these little beauties also eat Asian Tiger Mosquito eggs. Wow!
But, to complicate matters even more, I believe that the ladybug I found in Cyprus may be the Black Scale Ladybug (Exochomus nigromaculatus) which is even more difficult to find info on though very similar to the one pictured here however, without the blue sheen (when seen in sunshine).
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzer_Schildlaus-Marienk%C3%A4fer
You’re welcome. :^) It is curious indeed for me to be the one making an ID on a bug. :^D
Apparently these little beauties also eat Asian Tiger Mosquito eggs. Wow!
But, to complicate matters even more, I believe that the ladybug I found in Cyprus may be the Black Scale Ladybug (Exochomus nigromaculatus) which is even more difficult to find info on though very similar to the one pictured here however, without the blue sheen (when seen in sunshine).
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwarzer_Schildlaus-Marienk%C3%A4fer
I have found one of these, it has suddenly appeared in my house in Britain, in Northampton, I am truly concerned why it’s here seen at it seems to be native to America, I am duly worried seen as no site I’ve been on can tell if it’s poisonous or not, please reply
Lady Beetles are not poisonous.
I found a ladybug acting the same way on the floor in our house. It is overwintering in our home – must have crawled in through a crack somewhere. All it does is walk around in circles – it can only turn left. No missing limbs or antennae from what I can tell.
I wonder if it is because of a neurological disorder, maybe something genetic or perhaps it was damaged somehow by cold or dehydration.
I found a ladybug acting the same way on the floor in our house. It is overwintering in our home – must have crawled in through a crack somewhere. All it does is walk around in circles – it can only turn left. No missing limbs or antennae from what I can tell.
I wonder if it is because of a neurological disorder, maybe something genetic or perhaps it was damaged somehow by cold or dehydration.
I found one myself this afternoon. It was on my counter and, like J said, it only turns left. Mine seems to have an injured leg on its left side. The very back one to be exact. I found him/her on its back so I turned it over. I did so as carfeully as I possibly could, so I dont think I was the reason for the injury. I dont know if that has anything to do with the circles, but I thought i’d let you guys know what I have experienced.
I found an earwig doing that on the walk out back.
Two days it walked in circles till it got “moved”by traffic.
Weird!
I found an earwig doing that on the walk out back.
Two days it walked in circles till it got “moved”by traffic.
Weird!
Hi my brother found a lady bug in third pperiod today, We have done a lot of research on lady bugs, our ladybug is acting the same way. We named it Theda, as far as I am aware it has just been born recently it’s about 3 days old. we have made it a grassy home on paper with rock twigs and its food farm we givew it water twice a day, we do’nt give it access to water because Theada will drown it’s normal behavior.
The ladybird bug has ,been postively spotted first hand. In new orleans la,on to of the Nola Va. Hospital!
I have one, contained in a tub.
I’ve checked all websites known to man.
Not a good insect..
We’ve just observed a ladybird doing exactly the same in our bathroom in southern England. It did seem to have some fine fluff on its leg and antennae – from a spiders web, perhaps? We managed to remove the web but it didn’t have any effect. It always turns left, and is still doing it now!
I had 1 in my studio apartment. I had never ever seen 1 in my life. It lived in my apartment for 4 days. I grew up believing that lady bugs were good luck as most do?! It was so unusual to me that this 1 just appeared, out of no where?! I’ve been doing some research and not sure what the myth is?! I live in Houston, Tx. All I know, is this is rare indeed!
I have just found a black ladybird with two red spots on it,is this unusual to see one in the uk and ho long do they live for?
Based on BBC News the highly variable Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle is found in the UK. Based on this BugGuide image, the color variation you described does exist.
Hello. Epilachna pavonia
Thanks for the identification. We will update the posting.
I have stink bugs in my house. Some of them when landing on round objects like my clock or light fixture just keep walking around it. They are able to fly so I don’t understand why they would keep up this insanity. The one on my clock did it for days. This is bazaar.
OMG. I have a stinkbug doing the same thing on my lamp.. for almost 18 hours now.
Moths in montana same thing
Hey All,
Saw a thrips specimen on Kenyan basil doing ‘Donuts’ it was going round in circles, couldn’t figure it out. Usually when they detect breathing they run away, however this one just went round and round in circles… I cannot confirm what species of thrips it was.
Hey All,
Saw a thrips specimen on Kenyan basil doing ‘Donuts’ it was going round in circles, couldn’t figure it out. Usually when they detect breathing they run away, however this one just went round and round in circles… I cannot confirm what species of thrips it was.
Hey! I was on this article because I recently viewed this behavior for the first time, I am an insect lover myself and keep them to study all the time. But this is the first time I’ve ever seen this. I picked up this lady and it started to do circles on the top of my finger which is irregular in the first place because typically human interaction would frighten them but it continued to to it so then I set up a nice enclosure and placed It it in there but it continued to do it so then I sprayed some water and that helped, it is now walking normally but I’m still going to keep it in here to monitor it’s behaviors! Thank you for making this comment
I had a ladybug land on me a few months ago did the same thing walked in a circle on my knee for about an hour. Has anyone found out what is going on?
Here in Tennessee
I have been watching a black beetle walking in 4 inch diameter left hand circles for 30 minutes now. Very strange behavior.
Alabama woods.
I have been watching a black beetle walking in 4 inch diameter left hand circles for 30 minutes now. Very strange behavior.
Alabama woods.
I found a beetle doing the exact same thing. I saw it last night on the sidewalk, but when I went outside this morning it was still in the same spot walking in circles. Occasionally I’ll see it stop walking and start twitching for a few seconds.
same here in yorkshire uk – a Stanley beetle, just aimlessly wandering in left handed circles??? poor little critter – deffo no chemicals or other astringents within the vicinity…
My hamster did this. Googled it an said it was stress. Maybe the same with insects??