What Do Ladybugs Eat? A Complete Guide to Their Fascinating Diet

Their varied feeding habits reveal why these beetles are backyard gardeners’ best allies.

By Medha deb

Created on Sep 25, 2025

Their varied feeding habits reveal why these beetles are backyard gardeners’ best allies.

Ladybugs, those beloved spotted beetles found in gardens across the globe, are more than just symbols of good luck. Their diets not only keep gardens healthy but also reveal just how adaptable, beneficial, and sometimes surprising these insects really are. What do ladybugs eat? This guide takes you deep into their favorite foods, how their appetites change over their life cycles and seasons, and the critical role they play as natural pest controllers.

Ladybug Diet 101: Omnivores, Carnivores, and Herbivores

With over 5,000 species worldwide, ladybugs display remarkable dietary diversity. While most are known as voracious hunters, not all stick strictly to insects. About 90% of all known ladybug species are omnivores, consuming both animal and plant matter as conditions allow.

Carnivorous Ladybugs: Predominantly feed on other insects, especially small, soft-bodied pests.
Omnivorous Ladybugs: Eat both prey and plant foods—maximizing their adaptability to changing conditions.
Herbivorous Ladybugs: Some, like the squash lady beetle, are mainly plant-eaters, preferring leaves, fruits, and even fungi.

The ladybug’s menu is far from simple. It ranges from aphids and insect eggs to nectar and pollen, depending on both species and circumstances.

The Ladybug’s Favorite Foods: What Tops the Menu?

Aphids: The Ultimate Ladybug Feast

By far, the most favored food of most carnivorous and omnivorous ladybugs is the aphid. These soft-bodied pests may seem harmless, but to plants, they’re destructive sap-suckers. For ladybugs, however, they’re the ideal meal:

Soft bodies for easy consumption
Low mobility, making them simple to catch
High nutritional content (rich in nitrogen and protein essential for growth)
Group living behavior, so ladybugs can feast on many at once
Abundance in most gardens

An adult ladybug can eat 10–50 aphids daily and thousands in a lifetime. Larvae are even more ravenous and can devour up to 400 aphids before becoming adults.

Other Prey on the Ladybug Diet

Mealybugs
Spider mites and other mites
Scale insects
Leafhoppers
Whiteflies
Insect eggs (including moths and butterflies)
Small spiders (occasionally)
Other ladybug larvae (rarely, as a form of cannibalism)

Lesser-known fact: A few ladybug species will even predate on the eggs or young of other ladybugs, especially when other food sources are scarce.

For Herbivorous and Omnivorous Ladybugs

Pollen
Nectar
Fungi and mildew
Leaf and fruit scraps
Dew and water droplets for hydration
Honeydew (the sweet secretion from aphids)
Plant sap

Herbivorous ladybugs especially thrive on plant foods, and omnivores enjoy a bit of everything, depending on what’s available.

The Ladybug Life Cycle: Diets from Egg to Adult

Eggs and Hatching

A female ladybug will typically lay clusters of eggs near thriving colonies of aphids or other prey; this ensures her young have a food source the moment they hatch.

Ladybug Larvae: The Ultimate Pest Eaters

Ladybug larvae, often described as resembling mini alligators with bristly bodies, eat far more than adult ladybugs. Their main menu includes:

Aphids (primary prey)
Mealybugs
Spider mites
Insect eggs
Soft-bodied pests (scales, whiteflies, thrips, psyllids)

Their insatiable appetite is by design: larvae must store enough energy to pupate and transform into adults. In just 2–3 weeks, a single larva can consume hundreds of aphids.

Adult Ladybugs: Still Hungry for Pests

Although not quite the eating machines their larval forms are, adult ladybugs remain active predators. A healthy adult can eat 10–50 aphids per day, with some estimates placing their lifetime total at over 5,000 to 10,000 aphids.

Besides pest control, adults will supplement their insect diet with plant-based foods such as pollen and nectar for extra energy, especially when insect prey is less abundant.

Seasonal Shifts: How Ladybug Diet Changes with the Year

Season	Diet Highlights	Behavioral Notes
Spring	Abundant aphids, scale insects, nectar, and pollen	Egg-laying, start of a new generation, population boom
Summer	Peak pest predation (aphids, mites, scales). Some supplement with nectar.	Larvae grow rapidly, adults maximize pest consumption
Fall	Pests decline; switch to fruits, vegetable sap, honeydew, nectar	Building fat reserves, preparing for dormancy or migration
Winter	Dormant (diapause) for most; some eat scale insects on evergreens if active	Congregation under leaf litter or bark for shelter

The seasonal variation in available food impacts both what ladybugs eat and how they behave. Well-fed adults in spring and summer lay more eggs and help keep pests in check before taking a winter break.

Ladybugs Indoors vs. Outdoors: Where Diets Differ

Outdoor Diets

Outdoors, ladybugs thrive on insect prey—particularly in gardens and agricultural fields. Soft-bodied pests like aphids, scales, mealybugs, and mites are plentiful on plants from early spring through fall.

Indoor Diets

When ladybugs find themselves indoors, their diet changes out of necessity. Without access to their favorite prey, they may nibble on soft fruits, crumbs, or houseplant leaves. Some may even hunt spider mites or whiteflies on indoor plants. However, their preference remains for insects over plant materials.

Why Ladybugs Matter: Natural Pest Control Superstars

The insatiable appetites of ladybugs—both larvae and adults—make them essential allies in integrated pest management. Some key benefits include:

Reducing the need for chemical pesticides
Protecting crops and ornamental plants naturally
Controlling outbreaks of aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and more
Helping to maintain a healthy garden ecosystem

Farmers and gardeners frequently introduce species like the seven-spotted or Asian lady beetle specifically to suppress pest populations. Their efficiency and appetite allow them to keep pest numbers in check, preventing infestations from spreading unchecked.

FAQs About Ladybug Diets

What is the main food of ladybugs?

Aphids are the primary prey of most ladybug species, making up the bulk of their diet in gardens and farms.

Do all ladybugs eat insects?

No, some are herbivorous and feed mostly on leaves, fruits, fungi, and nectar. About 90% are omnivores or carnivores that eat insects when available.

Can ladybugs survive on plant foods alone?

Some herbivorous species can, but most ladybugs require animal protein (from insects) at least during their larval phase for full development.

How much can a ladybug eat in its lifetime?

An adult ladybug may consume over 5,000 aphids in its lifetime, with larvae eating hundreds more before maturing.

What should I feed a ladybug I found indoors?

The best food is live aphids or other soft-bodied pests from outside. For short-term care, tiny bits of soft fruit and some sugar water can suffice until it can be released.

Ladybug Diet Quick Facts

Ladybugs are found on every continent except Antarctica, adapting to countless habitats with dietary flexibility.
The bright coloration of ladybugs warns predators of their unpalatable taste, a result of chemicals derived partly from their diet.
Most beneficial garden species are carnivores or omnivores, explaining their popularity in biological pest control.

Tips for Attracting Ladybugs to Your Garden

Grow plants that attract aphids (such as dill, fennel, yarrow, and marigolds) to provide a food source.
Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that could harm ladybugs or reduce their prey.
Provide flowering plants for pollen and nectar—essential for adults, especially when prey is scarce.
Maintain areas of leaf litter or undisturbed ground for overwintering shelter.

References

BioExplorer: What Do Ladybugs Eat? Ladybug Diet By Species
Dr. Killigan’s: The truth about ladybugs and what they eat
Planet Natural: What Do Ladybugs Eat?

References

Author

medha deb

Medha Deb is an editor with a master's degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Hyderabad. She believes that her qualification has helped her develop a deep understanding of language and its application in various contexts.

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