How to Feed and Care for a Ladybug

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If you've caught an adorable ladybug and you want to keep it for a while as a pet, they're easy to care for! In this article, we'll tell you how to set up a ladybug habitat and feed it so your ladybug is happy and healthy. Just remember to release your ladybug after a few days since they tend to thrive best in their natural habitat.

Things You Should Know

  • Look underneath leaves, inside hollow trees, and in areas with lush growth to catch ladybugs .
  • Put leaves, twigs, and soil into a plastic container to create a habitat. Make sure the container has holes so your ladybug gets fresh air.
  • Feed your ladybug aphids, honey, raisins, and lettuce every day. Place a damp paper towel in the habitat to give the ladybug water.
1

Check leaves, twigs, and blades of grass for ladybugs.

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    You'll probably have pretty good luck finding them in late spring and early summer before it gets very hot and dry. If you've got a garden, start looking there, or check nearby fields and meadows. When you see a ladybug, gently pluck it between your fingers and hold it in your cupped hands until you can put it in a jar or temporary storage container. [1]
    • If the weather is cooling down, look for ladybugs underneath rocks or in hollow trees since they're trying to find warm spots. [2]
    • If you don't want to pick up the ladybug, rest your hand on the surface next to it and wait for the ladybug to crawl right on or sweep a butterfly net along the edges of tall grass to scoop up ladybugs.
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2

Store the ladybug in a jar for now.

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    As long as you poke a few holes in the container, your ladybug will be fine for a few hours while you get its habitat set up. [3]
    • A cardboard food box with resealable flaps make excellent temporary housing for ladybugs. Plus, it's easy to poke small holes into the top of the box.
    • Plan on moving it to a bigger habitat container within a few hours. Glass traps heat, so you don't want to keep the ladybug in there for much longer.
3

Choose a storage container for the habitat.

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    You can buy small clear containers like Kritter Keepers that are designed for insects, or use any plastic storage container you have—the bigger, the better so your ladybug has room to fly around. If it doesn't have holes for air circulation, punch holes 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart on the lid of the container—make sure the holes aren't so big that the ladybug can get out! [4]
    • To coax the ladybug to its new habitat, use a soft brush to gently brush it into the container.
    • If you put several ladybugs into 1 habitat, use a larger container instead of a small insect keeper so they have plenty of room.
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4

Put leaves, sticks, and soil in the plastic container.

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    To make your ladybug feel at home, collect a few natural items from where you took the ladybug and put them into the container. For instance, spread soil in the bottom and drop in a handful of grass or leaves. [5]
    • If you can’t find any good natural structures, fold a few pieces of cardboard and drop them into the container to give your ladybug something to climb or hide under.
    • It's totally fine to put flowers into your habitat—ladybugs love sunflowers, marigolds, and cosmos.
5

Place a damp paper towel in the container.

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    It doesn't take a lot to quench a ladybug's thirst! A damp paper towel or cotton ball is all you need—just check the paper towel or cotton ball after a day or two to make sure it hasn't dried out. [6]
    • Don't leave a small dish of water in the habitat since your ladybug might fall in and couldn't get out.
    • If you don't want to leave a paper towel or cotton ball in the habitat, fill a spray bottle with water and mist the inside walls of the habitat every day.
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6

Feed your ladybug honey, raisins, or lettuce.

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    To make it easier for your ladybug to eat, soak a few raisins in water for a minute before putting them into the habitat. Add a leaf from outside or a fresh lettuce leaf. Ladybugs also get energy from honey—put a small dab of honey in a bottlecap and add 2 to 3 drops of water. These foods can make up your ladybug's main diet unless you can find a good source of aphids. [7]
    • Although ladybugs eat a lot for their size, you only need to put food into the habitat once or twice a day. Remove uneaten food when you put the fresh food in.
7

Give your ladybug aphids (if possible).

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    You can find them on the undersides of leaves and stems of flowering plants and trees—aphids look like very tiny, semi-translucent insects that are light green, brown, or black in color. If you're taking care of several ladybugs, put a few leaves or branches with aphids into the habitat since 1 ladybug can eat up to 25 aphids a day! [8]
    • If you're having trouble finding aphids, look at the plants around where you caught your ladybug—ladybugs tend to stick close to sources of aphids.
    • Ladybugs also eat tiny insects like mites, whiteflies, and scale insects that are also found on plant leaves and stems.
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8

Release your ladybug within a week.

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    Unfortunately, ladybugs will only survive for up to 2 weeks in captivity. Enjoy taking care of a ladybug and studying it, but let it go back to where you found it. Nature is a ladybug's true home! [9]
    • If you notice your ladybug hiding constantly, it might be a sign that the ladybug wants to be released back into the wild. As hard as it might be to let it go, it's probably best to return your ladybug outdoors.
    • Try to release your ladybug at the end of summer while it’s still warm outside. Otherwise, it may struggle to find food and shelter.

Community Q&A

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  • Question
    What happens if you keep the ladybug for more than 24 hours?
    Community Answer
    Nothing really happens, but if you do keep it, you'll need to take good care of it to keep it nourished and contented.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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  • Question
    My ladybug only has half of a shell and a broken wing, what should I do? Should I keep it for longer than 24 hours if it can't fly at all?
    Community Answer
    You should keep it, look after it, and nourish it. If it can't fly, it will probably be eaten.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
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  • Question
    How do I know if a ladybug is dead?
    Community Answer
    Usually it will be flipped over for a long period of time. Sometimes it flips over for a short period of time if it's sleeping.
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      Tips

      • To attract ladybugs after dark, set up a simple light tent—plug in a small floodlight or UV light on the side of your house and put a chair in front of it. Drape a white cloth over the chair and wait for the ladybugs to land on the sheet. [10]
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      • If you love watching ladybugs outdoors, build a ladybug house or make a ladybug feeder so they'll come to you. Hang a section of bamboo outside and put soft raisins in the tube. The fruit attracts ladybugs and they'll crawl, hide, or fly around the bamboo tube. [11]
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      • If you can't find aphids, try feeding your Ladybugs apples or lettuce.
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      Tips from our Readers

      The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
      • Ladybirds nest in gum nuts, so be sure to help your little friend out by giving them fresh water and taking them out to play each day you keep them. I have done this many times but release them within 2-3 days; otherwise, they can't live their lives. Remember: they don't live forever, so take much care and pay attention to the little fellas.
      • If you find ladybugs in your house during winter and want to keep them as pets, remember that they will not need to eat until spring. Do not give them food, after a couple days their could be mold, killing your ladybug. Similarly, make sure to change out the water source often as the water can also cause mold.
      • While trying to get them to walk onto your finger, try holding the tip of a pen to the surface that they are walking on. This way, they can walk up the pen onto the back of your hand without having to crawl up a rounded surface first.
      • Keep in mind that newborn ladybugs look like black and yellow caterpillars.
      • You can find a lot of ladybugs in your house during the winter.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Plastic storage container like a Kritter Keepers
      • Twigs, leaves, and soil
      • Raisins, honey, and lettuce
      • Paper towels or cotton balls
      • Butterfly net , optional

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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about caring for a ladybug, check out our in-depth interview with Shweta Sharma .

      References

      1. ↑ http://www.lostladybug.org/howto.php
      2. ↑ https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/insects/ladybug/
      3. ↑ http://www.lostladybug.org/howto.php
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/eh-ytq2BnhY?t=48
      5. ↑ https://youtu.be/eh-ytq2BnhY?t=61
      6. ↑ https://whatbugisthat.com/what-do-ladybugs-drink/
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/aizlANffHEI?t=108
      8. ↑ https://backyardbuddies.org.au/backyard-buddies/ladybirds
      9. ↑ https://www.cuteness.com/article/raise-lady-bugs
      1. ↑ http://www.lostladybug.org/howto.php
      2. ↑ https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-a-ladybug-feeder-attract-them-to-your-garden-169681

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      When you first get your ladybug, make a habitat for it by filling a large plastic (not glass) container with leaves, flower petals, toys, and other interesting objects. Make sure the container has holes at the top so your ladybug can breathe, and give it something to hide in, like a shell or a hollowed our twig. Keep a damp paper towel or cotton ball in its habitat at all times so your ladybug has something to drink, and feed it a bottle cap’s worth of honey, sugar, raisins, or lettuce twice a day. For tips on how to find and collect ladybugs, read on!

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        Jun 30, 2019

        "I found a little ladybug on my leg and put it on a piece of paper and made it a little spot with everything it ..." more
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