LADY BUG

LADY BUGS

Lady bugs are bright red with black spots. Their bright red color tells predators to stay away from lady bugs: they smell bad. Their short legs and antennae help them sense the world around them. There are some 5,000 species of ladybugs. Some of them eat plants and all of them eat plant-eating pests.

Materials:

Craft knife

3” Styrofoam ball

2” Styrofoam ball

Red craft paint (or color of choice)

Black craft paint (or color of choice)

Red felt

Black felt

Patterns (provided)

White glue

2 black pipe cleaners

Scissors

Project:

1. Cut 1/2” from the bottom of a 3” Styrofoam ball. This will enable the lady bug to stand. Cut ¼” from the bottom of the 2” Styrofoam ball.
2. Paint the Styrofoam ball. Use the traditional red for the body of the lady bug or use a different color. Use your imagination! Paint the 2” head black or use another color.
3. The patterns provided include a pattern for the wings. Trace the circle on to the red felt and cut. Then cut the circle in half.
4. There are also patterns for the dots on the lady bug. The dots are usually black but you can use another color for fun. Cut the pattern and trace four dots on the felt. Cut.
5. Cut the pattern for the stripe down the back. Trace and cut a ¼” x 5” strip of black felt (or color of choice).
6. Make sure the paint on the Styrofoam ball is dry. Draw a line of glue down the length of the strip and place it along the length the 3” ball.
7. Place a wing on the 3” ball so it runs along the length of the strip and is even with the top of the strip. Glue only the top edge of the wing to the 3” ball.
8. Glue the cut end of the 2” ball to the top of the 3’’ ball over the glued ends of the wings.
9. Cut two 3” lengths of  pipe cleaner and push one end of each stem into the top of the head. Add a little bit of glue to secure the antennae. Bend and shape the ends into little round circles.
10. Cut a strip of red felt or other color 1 1/2” x 1/8” wide for the mouth. Glue the mouth and the eyes to the face.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Delano, Marte Ferguson. National Geographic Kids/Butterflies. Washington DC: National Geographic for Kids.

Greensburg, David T. Bugs! NY: Little, Brown and Company. 1997.

Jackson, Demi.  Guess That Animal! Name That Bug! NY: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2017.

McKissack, Patricia and Frederick. Bugs! Chicago: Children’s Press, 1988.

Parker, Nancy Winslow and Wright, Joan Richards. Bugs. NY: Greenwillow, 1987.

Simon, Seymour. Butterflies. NY: Collins, 2011.

Singer, Marilyn. Caterpillars. Waynesville, MC: Early Light Books, Inc., 2011.

Taylor, Barbara, ed. 1000 Facts on Bugs. NY: Miles Kelly Publishing, 2005.