Delaware State Insect
Ladybug (common name) Adalia bipunctata (scientific name) Overview There are over 1,600 species of the very small, colorful, flying beetles called ladybugs (also called the ladybird beetle or ladybird). The two-spotted ladybug was officially designated the state insect of Massachusetts in 1974. It is a popular choice as a state insect: the convergent ladybug is the state insect of Ohio; Delaware, New Hampshire, and Tennessee designated the seven-spotted ladybug in 1974, 1977, and 1975, respectively; and New York designated the nine-spotted ladybug in 1989. The ladybug has a black head, red body, and distinctive black spots on its back. The bug has a yellow–tipped head, a red elytra (the protective wings that cover the flight wings), short legs, and short antennae. The insect’s unusual coloration and spots are designed to ward off potential predators like spiders and birds. A favorite insect around the world, particularly with children, the ladybug is just as popular as the butterfly mainly because of its attractive coloration, its benefit to farmers and gardeners, and its endearing shape resembling tiny little hemispheric domes. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Wingspan: 0.15–0.27 inches (0.4–0.7 cm) Total Length: 0.3–0.4 inches (0.76–1.0 cm) Larvae: Alligator-shaped and covered in tiny bristles. LIFESPAN 1–2 years HABITAT Diverse habitats including meadows, gardens, and farms. Range: Worldwide Flight period: Fly in huge swarms in winter to hibernate. Conservation status: Although not listed as threatened, the ladybug population is declining in North America and its range is narrowing.  BEHAVIOR These colorful, carnivorous beetles will walk, climb, or fly when foraging. They inhabit all areas where temperatures are warm or mild. In harsh winters, they gather in large numbers and hibernate under rocks, under piles of leaves, or in the cracks of trees. When threatened, they will roll over and play dead since most predators look for live prey. DIET Adults: Aphids and other small, soft-bodied larvae and insects. Larvae: Aphids, insect eggs, and pollen. TRIVIA A predator attack triggers a "reflex bleeding" in which the insect secretes a foul-smelling fluid alkaloid toxin through the joints in its outer skeleton, making it unappetizing prey. Ladybugs are loved by farmers because they voraciously feed on plant-eating pests such as aphids. Each ladybug, on average, consumes at least 5,000 aphids by the time it is 5–6 weeks old.
	Click to enlarge an image Seven-Spotted Ladybug Trio of Ladybugs Feeding Ladybug Eating Aphids Ladybug Deploying Wings CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Coleoptera Family: Coccinellidae Genus: Adalia Species: A. bipunctata
	Author: World Trade Press

Delaware State Butterfly
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly (common name) Papilio glaucus (scientific name) Overview The tiger swallowtail is a very large, yellow butterfly with wings that have black edges, black stripes, and small iridescent red and blue markings. The black stripes at the top of the butterfly’s wings resemble a tiger’s stripes. These butterflies are called swallowtails because the long "tails" on their wings look like the long, pointed tails of a bird called the swallow.  The lower or hind wings have scalloped edges. There is also a version of the tiger swallowtail, a dark form that is completely black with bluish-purple markings. This is completely distinct from the black swallowtail, which is a separate species with very different markings. The tiger swallowtail butterfly was named the state butterfly of Delaware in 1999. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Wingspan: 3.5–6.5 in (8.8–16.5 cm) Larvae: The newly hatched caterpillar is initially brown and white and then turns green with a large head and bright "eye spots." The butterfly develops from egg to larva (caterpillar) to pupa to adult in one month. LIFESPAN Two to three weeks HABITAT In deciduous woods, along streams, rivers, and wooded swamps. Range: The United States east of the Rocky Mountains. The northern range is from eastern Colorado to southern Ontario and southern Vermont. Its southern range extends to northeastern Mexico. Two closely-related species are the larger Papilio appalachiensis in the Appalachian region and the Papilio canadensis in the northeastern US and Canada. Flight period: The first flight begins in late February or early March and continues through late autumn or early winter in the southern part of the range. There are two flights in the northern part of the range and three to four flights in the southern range. Conservation status: Least Concern BEHAVIOR Females lay eggs one at a time on the leaves of host plants. The eggs hatch into caterpillars within one week, longer if the temperature is cool. After feeding for a week (during which the caterpillar molts several times) it seals itself into a cocoon (also known as a pupa or chrysalis) and hibernates. The insect undergoes a metamorphosis and emerges as an adult butterfly 10–14 days later. Shortly after the butterfly’s wings have been unfolded and dried, the butterfly takes flight and begins to feed on flower nectar. DIET Adults: Nectar from the flowers of milkweed, thistles, cherry, Japanese honeysuckle, ironweed, lilac, and red clover. Larvae: The caterpillar's first meal is its own shell. Caterpillars eat the leaves of a wide variety of trees and shrubs, including cottonwood, tulip tree, sweet bay, lemon, and cherry. TRIVIA In Delaware, the swallowtail was one of three butterflies chosen by students of the Richardson Park Learning Center as possible state butterflies. In a statewide poll of school students the swallowtail received more than 50 percent of votes.
	Click to enlarge an image Female Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Male Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly Close-up of Female Tiger Swallowtail Feeding on Lantana Dark Form of Female Tiger Swallowtail CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Lepidoptera Family: Papilionidae Genus: Papilio Species: P. glaucus
	Author: World Trade Press