I killed a ladybug nymph . Here is the picture so you don't kill one too!
http://www.pbase.com/johanops/image/97913123
You can bet that won't happen again. They are busy eating the aphids on my cucumber plant. I even saw baby praying mantis, too cute!
-Kim
Guilty before proven innocent...
Awww, I've never seen a nymph....or so I thought!!! Thanks for sharing this; my Asclepias are all covered with aphids, and the ladybugs are working hard to keep them in check. I finally had to spray with soapy water last night because the aphids are doing so much damage that they aren't leaving much healthy growth for my Monarch larvae, but I wish I'd known this beforehand so I could've temporarily relocated the nymphs as well as the adults before spraying. I mistook this bug as another "pest." As with you, I'll make sure this mistake doesn't happen again; I'll pay more attention next time!
Here's a great photo of what size they are: http://butterflies.heuristron.net/others/ladyBug.html
And here's more info about the benefits of the larvae in the garden (http://www.attra.ncat.org/intern_handbook/pdf/entomology.pdf):
Prey/Habits: The Lady Bug feasts on many small soft-bodied insects such as aphids and spider mites. A single Lady Bug can consume up to 500 aphids a day. They often are most valuable for the farmer or gardener when contained which is why they are often employed in a greenhouse type situation. The larvae of ladybugs are strictly predators, but the adults will sometime feed on pollens and nectars. They are not harmful to plants. Lady Beetles born in the summer time may only live a few weeks to a month however over wintering Lady Beetles can survive up to ten months.
The Lady Beetles sold in stores are generally of the variety Hippodamia Convergens or the convergent Lady Bug. The problem with this variety is they have a tendency to flee the sight. Another drawback is that they are generally incapable of laying eggs.
Appearance: The larvae are black and longer than the adults with speckled yellow or orange dots on there back. The adults are shiny and generally red with some black spotting on their back.
It gets worse....I saw the ladybug eggs on the back of a leaf and purposely did not spray soap there about a week ago. Every day is a school day.
Don't forget to look for green lacewing larvae eating aphids. http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/insects/lacewings/lacewings.htm
Wonderful, Thank you Calalily! I checked out there today and saw lots of ladybug nymphs. I am going to let nature do its thing and maybe the heat will kill the aphids now that the rain has stopped.