Ladybugs have six legs and keep their wings tucked away until they are ready to fly. Ladybugs' bright colors are a way of protecting themselves by telling birds that they do not taste good. When defending itself, a ladybug can eject a foul fluid from its joints. Ladybugs' legs are covered with sticky pads or hair that enable them to walk upside down. Their antennae help them search for food and also allow them to communicate with other ladybugs.
Ladybugs have a shield, called a pronotum, that protects their necks from enemies such as ants.
Ladybugs can lay up to 1000 eggs. The larvae resemble tiny alligators. These ladybug babies change into adult ladybugs in less than 2 weeks. Changing from larvae into adults is called metamorphosis. Below is a diagram of the ladybug's metamorphosis cycle.