Do you know what this insect on a brittlebush flower is?

Not very attractive is it?

I’ll give you a hint. Remember the lady beetles we saw two weeks ago?

This bumpy creature is a lady beetle larva.

Even though people usually can identify an adult lady beetle, not as many people recognize lady beetle larvae. The larvae are impactful, however, because they eat way more aphids than the adults do. Plus, if they survive, they become an adult.

The bottom line is that taking time to identify insects in all their stages and forms is important.