The little bug on my finger is
a Lady Bug larvae. If you're raising
Milkweed for your
butterfly garden, this little critter is your best friend; it EATS
aphids!
As you can see, so do ladybug adult beetles. See that yummy bite of
yellow aphid in the red ladybug's mouth?
Aphid snacks must be very good. This lady beetle is slurping up the last
drops with her tongue:
This red ladybug is perched next to bunches of aphids that are sucking
on
White Vine Milkweed:
I wasn't aware that beetles had tongues, so after I took this picture, I
looked it up. I've learned a new word: Hypopharynx.
Ladybugs are little beetles. This one took a walk across my hand, and
paused on my fingernail to wipe it's face with it's leg.
I tend to think of ladybugs as little red beetles, but a number of
species of little beetle get called ladybugs.
This last ladybug, the orange one with black dots or spots, and a white
face, is an asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. I've heard some wild
stories of people having trouble with those! This one was in my yard,
and so far I'm not seeing many of them.