Feeling the need to be creative, I decided to put out a trail based on little critters and share some interesting facts about them. At the start/end of the trail is a nice tucked away park for young cachers to play and run around there is a playground, tennis courts and an Olympic workout area.
The Ladybird
Ladybirds possess sticky pads on their legs, this helps them to climb. They are able to crawl upside down on a leaf without falling off. After it catches a meal, it will utilize its strong jaws to eat it. They like to eat aphids; aphids are very small insects that eat the sap from plants. Believe it or not, Ladybirds can consume as many as 50 aphids a day and some will also eat leaves. Most farmers and gardeners love ladybirds because they eat pests that harm crops. Just like other insects, they have six legs and two sets of wings. They also have antennae, the antennae help them detect nearby insects to possibly eat. Like other insects, ladybirds will also go through four stages, egg, larva, pupa and adult ladybird. Etymologists have discovered more than 4000 different kinds of ladybirds. They come in different colours and have different characteristics. Most people know them for their red and black colouring they come in different colours as well. Some are orange, yellow and red. It is possible there are some types that haven't been found yet. Unlike most other insects, they do not have many enemies, because they have bitter-tasting blood (that they can ooze from their legs), most animals do not like to eat ladybirds. Some spiders don’t seem to care about their taste, and will get eat them if they get caught in a web. Wasps, dragonflies and some ants will also eat ladybirds too. Ladybirds have a longer lifespan that most insects, they usually live as adults for three to nine months. This depends on the supply of food, weather, and if there are predators around. They are not always solitary, and sometimes will stay together in groups which can help them stay warm in the winter. Some etymologists have discovered ladybird groups with more than a million members. They are classified as beetles and are closely related to the fireflies and shiny black June bugs. During the winter, when it is very cold, they will hibernate. Finally they can travel at around 15 miles an hour.
Now that you know a bit more about me come and find me. Please take care to be stealthy as this area is a little overlooked by houses and can have the occasional dog walker passing through.