The Darker Side of Ladybugs

An episode of the KQED series Deep Look focuses on the ladybug larva, a darker and more terrifying version of the creature’s eventual identity as a petite ladybug whose main role will be that of biological pest control.

Ladybugs may be the cutest insects around, but they don’t start off that way. Also called lady beetles or ladybirds, they pop out of their eggs as prickly mini-monsters with an insatiable hunger for aphids. Once they’ve bulked up, they transform, shedding their terrifying looks, but keeping their killer vibes.