Comments on: Ladybug Larva http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/ A daily photographic look at the world of insects, spiders, creepies, crawlies and critters. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:24:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Reiver http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/#comment-260 Reiver Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:28:07 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/#comment-260 Never, <i>never</i> underestimate the value of flight to the reproductive success of an insect. But of course, flight requires a very specific set of paremeters to succeed, whilst a ladybug larvae can still crawl whilst growing... so you have a growing phase, followed by a metamorphasis into a special-purpose flight phase, once you got all that messy growing buisness out of the road. You might be able to expand a house by nailing on new extensions, but you'd really rather build a plane purpose-built, you know? ;) Never, never underestimate the value of flight to the reproductive success of an insect.

But of course, flight requires a very specific set of paremeters to succeed, whilst a ladybug larvae can still crawl whilst growing… so you have a growing phase, followed by a metamorphasis into a special-purpose flight phase, once you got all that messy growing buisness out of the road. You might be able to expand a house by nailing on new extensions, but you’d really rather build a plane purpose-built, you know? ;)

]]> By: tceisele http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/#comment-258 tceisele Mon, 29 Oct 2007 18:25:19 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/#comment-258 I expect that the purpose of their metamorphosis is not so much to do with their feeding habits or lifestyle, as that (a) the adults benefit a lot from having wings (it helps them find mates and disperse over a much wider area), and (b) the ancestral beetles went through a complete metamorphosis to get to the winged form. So, the lady beetles still do a complete metamorphosis in order to get their wings, even though the larvae and adults otherwise act pretty similar. Evolution is like tradition, sometimes you do things a certain way just because your ancestors did it like that, not because it's the best way. I expect that the purpose of their metamorphosis is not so much to do with their feeding habits or lifestyle, as that (a) the adults benefit a lot from having wings (it helps them find mates and disperse over a much wider area), and (b) the ancestral beetles went through a complete metamorphosis to get to the winged form.

So, the lady beetles still do a complete metamorphosis in order to get their wings, even though the larvae and adults otherwise act pretty similar. Evolution is like tradition, sometimes you do things a certain way just because your ancestors did it like that, not because it’s the best way.

]]> By: ZWarrior http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/#comment-257 ZWarrior Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:55:17 +0000 http://www.insectpod.com/2007/10/29/ladybug-larva/#comment-257 Is it the snow or the cold that is chasing off your bugs? I have found that, with the exception of one or two spiders and a moth, our bugs are playing hidey-seek with us now. But we have only the cold, no snow yet. :( Is it the snow or the cold that is chasing off your bugs? I have found that, with the exception of one or two spiders and a moth, our bugs are playing hidey-seek with us now. But we have only the cold, no snow yet. :(

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