Telling the difference between male and female ladybugs is difficult.
While the name "ladybug" conjures up images of femininity, the belief that all ladybugs are female is a misconception. Ladybugs are also male, although it can be hard to tell the difference between them and their female counterparts.
Size Matters
The most obvious difference between male and female ladybugs are their sizes.
According to ladybuglady.com, female ladybugs are usually larger than male ladybugs. Ladybugs can range in size from 1 to 10 millimeters, according to ladybuglearningzone.com.
Mating
One way to tell the difference between male and female ladybugs is to spot them during mating. The smaller male ladybug climbs on top of the female, grabs the female's hard wings and holds on.
Knowing "For Sure"
Using a microscope, an entomologist---a "bug scientist"---can tell a male ladybug from a female. Among the differences, male ladybugs have an additional "notch" on their underside, more hair-like structures known as setae and large flexor bands, according to ladybuglady.com.
Why "Lady"bug?
The name "ladybug" was never meant to express the sex of the species. According to ladybuglady.com, Catholic farmers in the Middle Ages concerned about insects destroying the crops prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. When ladybugs saved the crops by eating the insects, the farmers called them "The Beetles of Our Lady," a name that eventually turned into "lady beetles."
A Variety of Ladybugs
There are more than are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs, according to ladybuglearningzone.com.
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