Ladybirds on Mexican Sword Plant

From my observation, Ladybirds that come visiting to my garden come in four patterns on their hard cuticles. There could probably be many other types. The Mexican Sword Plant (Echinodorus palaefolius) is one of their favourite destinations as aphids love to congregate there too.

This type go for minimalism aka 'Plain Jane'.




Another type jazzes up its coat with some circular markings which can vary in numbers. This one has 10 polka dots.



Here's another lady bug with a stripy design instead of the discrete spots, giving the appearance of a red zebra of the ladybird world.

Yet another species did not want to stay mainstream and had stripes which join up forming a net like pattern or a red tortoise shell.

AFTER A HEAVY SHOWER

Several ladybugs were washed down into the murky waters. Some were saved in time but there were some that drowned. I saw a few struggling on the surface of the water and picked them up. 

This one was flailing in the water on the same spot. As it did not make any progress to the plant. I lifted it up and ...

placed it on the surface of the leaf. After a while, it started to walk along the edge of a leaf.

They love to walk precariously on the leaf margin, so its no wonder that they easily toppled over into the water. It is strange for this mishap to occur as  they are perfectly capable of flight.

The ladybugs seemed to be voracious eaters as by the next day almost all the aphids were gone.

After the feast, it was time for some tomfoolery. As it is conjugation of plain and spotted, I wonder how the offspring will turn out to be; probably one with fewer spots.

A puny little snail came out to explore the world too.

A budding flower stalk.

Cascading flowers of the Echinodorus palaefolius (Mexican Sword Plant).


The tall Bucida tree nearby was reflected on a water drop.

The Gastronomic Adventures of Ladybugs

Ladybugs are cute little critters. I counted eleven spots on this black-spotted on red ladybug. 

It moved clumsily down this leaf blade of Costus Woodsonii. 

With jet-black round eyes placed low down, they seem to be peering over low-rimmed bifocals.

Its stiff feelers are placed horizontally, looking like the top rim of granny spectacles.

 

It seemed to be sniffing the path as it moved along.

As I continued to observe it I realized that it was on a gastronomic trail which was arduous and torturous; up and down from foliage ...

to stem and finally towards...

a large colony of aphids. This should make a good larder adequate for many rainy days.

What a serendipitous discovery. It is like Solomon's mine of epicurean delights. Such good fortune is truly a blessing from Mother Nature. 

In fact by the next day, most of the resident aphids were ravished by this little fella. It saved me the dirty job of being the Terminator.

Costus woodsonii spikes (Dwarf cones ginger) can last for months. They are borne on the tips of canes.

Some cones are taller

whilst others are shorter. The real flowers are the yellow protuberances that sprout sporadically from the bracts.

The bracts open up when the seed pods ripen.

The dehiscence of seed pods release the shiny black seeds which are most probably dispersed by birds. Costus is easily propagated from stem cuttings thus negating the collection of seeds.

This non-spotted lady bug glided down this blade of variegated Dracaena leaf.

It stopped in its track when it came across this hapless teeny weeny bug, in anticipation of a delicious snack.

 
After this light snack, it then cast around to look for more grub and having found none,

continued merrily along its way in search of other scrumptious meals.