Gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps, then press "Check" to check your answers. Use the "Hint" button to get a free letter if an answer is giving you trouble. You can also click on the "[?]" button to get a clue. Note that you will lose points if you ask for hints or clues!
Ladybugs, also called or , are beetles that belong to the group of animals called . They have jointed legs, antennae and a pair of wings. They are usually about 4 - 7 mm long. The male ladybug is usually than the female. The , found behind the ladybug’s head helps to hide and protect the head. Ladybugs have special organs on their feet to help them . The ladybug uses its to touch, smell and taste. Ladybugs feed on slow moving insects especially - a pest that sucks the sap of plants. Because ladybugs feed on aphids they are considered a best friend. To protect itself, the ladybug produces a horrible smelling and tasting which keeps predators like birds away.

There are about different types of ladybugs. Most ladybugs have , or wing covers and spots. Some are black with red spots and some have no spots. The number of spots helps to identify the kind of ladybug. The spots on the ladybug fade as the ladybug gets older.

The life cycle of a ladybug is weeks. In spring the adult ladybug lays up to three hundred eggs in an aphid colony. The eggs hatch in two to five days. The feed on aphids for up to three weeks and then changes to a . The pupa changes to an about one week later. The new adult has no spots for the first 24 hours of its adult stage.