How to Raise Ladybugs in the Classroom:  Tips and Insights

The big day is finally here: you've received your ladybug friends along with their colorful and fun Ladybug Land habitat! We're here to help you with a relaxing and stress-free journey through the wonderful world of the Ladybug life cycle. Read on to enhance your STEM learning experience! 

Planning and Preparation

Before we get started, a few things to keep in mind! 

1. Your ladybug larvae may be inactive upon their arrival. If they are, don't worry! Please give them 48 hours to acclimate to their new home.
2. Ensure the dome on your Ladybug Land habitat is securely attached to the base. Press the dome down firmly to ensure your larvae will not escape. Always carry the ladybug land by the base and NOT by the dome! 
3. Transfer your larvae as soon as possible. It's best not to leave them in the tube once they arrive at your door! 

Setup and Organization

Now it's time to introduce your larvae to their new home. You'll be gently tipping the larvae tube into the habitat, around the center foam water pad. Remove the magnification cap from the ladybug land. Remove the red cap on the tube and gently shake the contents of the tube (paper strips, larvae and food) onto the landscape of the habitat. 

Now it's time to give your thirsty ladybug larvae some water! Open the green cap at the top of the ladybug land. Insert eh watering dropper and place 2-3 drops of water on the volcano sponge. 2-3 drops of water every other day is recommended! 

1. Do not over water! Too much water can risk harming your developing ladybug friends! 

2. Ensure that there is no food on the foam water pad, as that can cause mold to develop. 

3. Do not worry if your tiny larvae are sometimes inactive. They are spending time conserving energy for the BIG transformation that is about to happen! 

Daily Management

Now here's the fun part: watching your tiny ladybug larvae grow and transform! Your larvae will spend approximately one week eating, growing and molting. When the larvae have eaten their fill and stored enough energy, they will enter the pupal stage of their lives. 

1. Keep the habitat still and do not shake or handle it roughly during this time! Your growing bugs are fragile. 
2. Watch as your ladybug larvae attach themselves to the walls of the ladybug land and transform into pupae! 
3. It will take 7-10 days for the ladybugs to emerge from the pupa as adults! 
4. When they first emerge from the pupa, they will look soft and pale. Don't worry! Their exoskeletons will harden and their spots will appear within 24 hours! 

Feeding Your Ladybugs

Your adult ladybugs will love exploring their colorful habitat. You know how to give them water, but how do we feed these hungry ladybugs? It's simple! We recommend giving your ladybugs raisins as a quick and easy food source. Soak 1 or 2 raisins in water for about 5 minutes. Cut the raisins in half, and drop them in the ladybug. Once all the raisins have been munched up by your ladybugs, simply repeat the process! 

Ladybug Release

After around 3 weeks of STEM education, teamwork and observation, the big day is finally here: it's time to release your ladybugs into the big wide world of nature! Insect Lore ladybugs are meant to be released into the wild upon the project's completion, so ensure you have picked warm and sunny day for this important event. 

1. Release your ladybugs outdoors within a week of their emergence.
2. Try to release them in the early morning. Then your ladybugs will be more likely to make your garden home and protect it from harmful pests like aphids! 
3. Ensure daytime temperatures are above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Raise and Release Ladybugs in the Classroom with Insect Lore

Excited to share the wonder of ladybug life cycles with your students? It's easier than ever to start your full project, or get a new set of ladybugs friends if you already ow the habitat! Insect Lore's Live Ladybug Kits are the perfect choice for any educator eager to give their students an incomparable STEM education and an unforgettable screen-free experience. Our STEM Activity Journals provide a valuable accessory for every life cycle lesson. It's the fully-fledged learning journey teachers and students will both love!