LADYBUG STIMULI TO VARYING TEMPERATURES

By: Alexa Riley

AP Biology - B

February 21, 2021

 Abstract

The purpose of the lab can be stated simply as to compare ladybug’s reactions to differing

temperature stimuli. Ladybugs were placed in an enclosed environment and then introduced to

different temperatures. They were observed for 10 minutes each to determine any behavioural

differences. Overall it can be said that the ladybugs preferred hotter temperatures to colder

temperatures.. This is due to ladybugs being hibernating insects and preferring warmer

temperatures opposed to colder ones.

Background

Ethology is the study of animal behavior and is key to understanding reproduction,

survival, and evolution of species. In ethology, it is important to understand both proximate and

ultimate levels of animal behavior. Proximate explanations deal with the motivational

mechanisms that cause an organism to behave a certain way, or to put in simple terms; the cause

and effect of animal behavior (Karlsson, 2017). The second is the Ultimate explanation of animal

behavior which deals with evolutionary factors and natural selection as a part of animal behavior

(zoology). Knowing this and what ethology is, is key to understanding all organisms.

Ladybugs are a type of insect belonging to the Coccinellidae family of beetles which

belong to the superfamily of Cucujoidea (Frank & Mizell, 2000). There are more than 6,000

species of ladybugs with a majority living in Florida. Ladybugs prefer most environments that

are warm and are grassy. Grassier environments provide shelter from potential predators or

threats. Besides using their environment to deter predators they are also aposematic meaning

they are colored in a way to look threatening to predators. Their blood also emits a foul-smelling
odor which contains various alkaloid metals that give it that particular odor (Frank & Mizell,

2000). This odor is also believed to be used by ladybugs to deter potential predators. Ladybug

larvae go through 4 instars before eventually pupating, metamorphosing, and then becoming

adults (Frank & Mizell, 2000). This is the typical life cycle of most ladybugs and usually in a

year ladybugs will give birth to several generations of ladybugs. Reproduction however can be

slowed down or halted depending on the season, temperature, or other environmental factors.

Ladybugs will go through a hibernation period during the winter and search for warm dry spaces

to sleep for during that season (Jones, 2021). They are more active in the spring and summer

time where warmer weather provides more resources (food, water, etc).

Ladybugs have been used as environmental control factors for gardening, farming, etc.

They can be used as regulators to certain prey in environments that need to reduce in numbers.

Although not all ladybugs are predatory, those who do prey on other bugs like aphids are

extremely useful in retaining certain populations of other insects.

This particular experiment will deal with ladybug’s responses to varying temperatures.

Their response to the stimuli can then be noted as taxis or kinesis. Kinesis is a random

non-directional movement or response to certain stimuli. A common example of biological

kinesis is if a fly were to be trying to get away from a predator it would fly in random patterns.

There are two common types of kinesis: orthokinesis and klinokinesis. Orthokinesis is the

relation of the speed of the organism to the intensity of the stimulus, likewise, klinokinesis is

where the rate of turning is equal to the intensity of the stimulus (Taxis & Kinesis, 2020). Taxis

is a directional response to stimuli, like food, water, or shelter. There are negative and positive

taxis depending on the stimuli and the response of the organism. If a cat for example were to see

food, it would run directly to that food source; this is an example of positive taxis. If a cat
wanted to get away from something and run to its bed, it would run directly towards its shelter;

this is an example of negative taxis. There are varying types of taxis depending on the stimuli,

like geotaxis (response to gravity), chemotaxis (response to chemicals), etc. These responses are

key to organism survival, especially from certain predators or potential environmental threats.

The purpose of the lab is to determine ladybug’s response to varying temperatures and

determining what type of response will be produced (taxis or kinesis) and what temperatures do

they prefer/are more suitable for. Seeing how the ladybugs respond to each temperature stimulus

and the differences between each one will be a key indicator in telling what temperatures they

prefer more and how they respond to those certain temperatures.

Hypothesis and Variables

When Ladybugs are placed in an environment and different tempturte stimuli are placed

nearby, the ladybugs will behave in a way differently than in a room temperature environment.

This will be done by placing ladybugs in a container and then adding a heat source and a cold

source to one-half of the container. When placed in the cold temperature environment the more

ladybugs will most likely move to the room temperature side of the container. Likewise, when

placed in the hot temperature environment, more ladybugs will stay in the temperature stimuli

side than the cold, but will still most likely move to the room temp side. This is because ladybugs

hibernate during the winter (colder temperatures) and come out during the spring and summer

(warmer temperatures). The independent variable is the temperature stimuli being added or

removed. The dependent variable is the behaviour and movement of the ladybugs after the

stimuli has been added. Controls for this lab are the environment (same container, same grass,

same location) and the same species of ladybug being used (Hippodamia Convergens).
 Materials and Methods

The materials used in this lab are:

- Bug container

- Grass

- Ice pack

- Heating pad

- lamp

- Ladybugs

The steps can be followed as so:

1. Prepare bug habitat by adding grass into the container

2. Add ladybugs into environment and observe for 10 minutes, not disrupting the ladybugs

or the environment

3. Then add a heating pad under one half of the container and lamp and observe for 10

minutes, make sure not to disrupt the ladybugs or the environment

4. Remove heating pad and record any data or notes taken on the response of the ladybugs

to the stimuli

5. Place an ice pack under one half of the container and observe for ten minutes without

disrupting the environment or ladybugs

6. Remove ice pack and record any data or notes taken on the response of the ladybugs to

the stimuli
 Results

Variable: Beginning of 10 min: After 10 min:

Control Left: 16* Left: 17*

Right: 14* Right: 12*

Cold Source: Left: 9* Left: 9*

(right side) Right: 20* Right: 20 *

Heat Source: Left: 12* Left: 4*

(right side) Right: 19* Right: 26*

*It was extremely hard to count all the ladybugs and get an accurate number, but there are
around 28-32 ladybugs in the container. Numbers given are a rough count.

Variable: Notes: Time Lapse:

Control: - Random movement Control Video

- Seem very restless,
constantly moving
- Seem to have no
preference for either
side of the container
- Seem to show no
pattern of movement
or behaviour
- No change in
behaviour between the
beginning of the 10
minutes and after

Cold source: - Already more on the Cold Source Video

right side to begin
with
- About 2 minutes in
and more have
migrated over the left
side
- Calmer behaviour in
comparison to the heat
stimulus
 - More even dispersion
across both sides
within 4 minutes
- Overall more stayed
on the right side, but
there was increased
movement from right
to left

Heat source: - Already more on the Heat Source Video

right side to begin
with
- About a minute in and
almost all ladybugs
are on the right side
(heat side)
- Behaviour seems
erratic and twitchy on
the heat side
- Movement has slowed
down on the heat side
- Don't seem to be
making any effort to
movement from the
hot side to the control
side
- More movement in
right side than the left

Discussion

The control variable was an environment where no temperature stimuli were added in

order to properly gauge the effects of both cold and hot temperatures. The first of the

temperatures added was the hot stimuli. The majority of the ladybugs went over the hot side of

the container. This aligns with the research done that shows that ladybugs prefer warmer

temperatures. The migration of ladybugs from the control side to the hot side was relatively

quick and those who did migrate stayed on that side of the container for a while. The cold

temperature trial was conducted next. When the ice pack was placed on the right side (same side

as the heating pad in trial 2), there was not much immediate movement. This might be due to the
fact that the ladybugs who stayed on the hot side for a long time were pretty immobile, not

moving much at all. Although in comparison to the heat trial, more ladybugs did migrate to the

control side. Although not completely lining up with the hypothesis given that more ladybugs

would be on the hot side than the control and vice versa with the cold, overall more ladybugs

preferred the hot side than the cold. There are several explanations for this, like the possibility

given above which states that the immobilized ladybugs may have been asleep or unaware, etc

However a likely explanation for this would be an error that took place during the experiment.

Right after the 10 minutes were up, the ice pack was placed immediately under the variable side

of the container. This means that the variable side had no time to cool down to room temperature

and therefore was still hot from residual heat left from the pad. Because of this, it was not an

immediate switch from very hot to very cold. This would explain why a majority of the ladybugs

still remained on the right side even after the ice pack was placed. That being said, comparing

both the cold and hot trials, more ladybugs preferred the hot side than the cold side. A major

issue that came with this lab was the inability to have a closed environment to keep all the heat

or cold trapped. So for each 10 minute trial, the beginning temperature was not the same as the

ending temperature. This could have affected the behavior and migration of the ladybugs in the

container. A solution for this would be to put the container in something like a cooler or

something insulted to trap heat in. Waiting longer in between each trail would also help the

container either cool off or heat back up to room temperature after each variable. Animal

behavior and ethology are vital to know and understand. It provides insight into how different

organisms adapt and react to different environments, surroundings, and stimuli. In this particular

case with temperature variables, this applies now more than ever. With a steady temperature

increase caused by global warming, all organisms are inevitably going to have to adapt some
way or another to a potentially hotter environment. Studying certain organisms, like ladybugs,

and how they react to varying temperatures can help better understand how they may react to

changing climate and temperatures of their environments. Humans are dependent on other

organisms, no matter how small or insignificant they seem. Knowing how they behave can help

humans have a better grasp on their surrounding environment and the earth as a whole.
 References/Citations

Frank, J. H., & Mizell, R. F. (2000, November). Ladybugs - insecta: Coleoptera: Coccinellidae.
http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/beneficial/lady_beetles.htm.

Jones, S. Ladybug 101. Canadian Wildlife Federation: Ladybug 101.

https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/encyclopedias/fauna/insects/ladybug-101.html.

Karlsson, L. (2017, October 7). Courses. What is Ethology? - Department of Zoology.

https://www.su.se/zoologi/english/research/2.50141/2.50017/courses/what-is-ethology-1.32
8947.

Taxis & Kinesis: What, TYPES, Differences, facts & summary. (2020, December 7).
https://alevelbiology.co.uk/notes/taxis-and-kinesis/.