Ladybug Bites

From: Ted.Held at hstna.com on 2002.04.30 at 15:29:33(8681) I have looked at the mouth parts of these ladybugs under SEM and to me, an ignorant layperson, they do not look like they are capable of biting in the usual sense. They look like smallish, sucking mouthparts, perhaps even vestigial. They do have quite an armory of hooks and sharp attachments on their legs. Maybe a "bite" is a misinterpreted snag on one of these gizmos? When I handle them they do not seem to act differently from ordinary ladybugs.

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