Ladybirds aren't female birds...they are lady bugs!

I was at the waterfront again this Thursday. But instead of focusing on the cormorants, I decided to stay near the trees and shrubs and be on the look out for sparrows chasing each other around.

Then I came across a sculpture called "Shipwreck".

Immediately, I looked what could be on it, and I saw three lady bugs, a dead wasp, and an unknown bug, which was quite interesting because I haven't come across an insect (other than flies, mosquitoes, and some odd surviving bees) in a long time. Reading up on the Family Coccinellidae, these creatures are quite interesting. Besides what I already know about their ability to act as bio-control agents for aphids and scale insects, their bright colors actually act as aposematism to ward off predators because they (both larval and adults) undergo "reflex bleeding" when attacked by predators and a toxin will be exuded through the joints to stop from predators from feeding on them. Neat!

Now, the two lady bugs on top are Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis), an introduced species (from eastern Asia) to do what I mentioned above (bio-control). However, they became quite proliferate and are now very common in North America and Europe.

Besides the usual orange/red colored ones, I also came across this black-and-white Twenty-Spotted Lady Beetle (Psyllobora vigintimaculata). A very unique-looking ladybug compare to their more common relatives.

Unknown critter. It is very small and quite well-camouflaged.
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