A new study shows that for ladybirds, the brightness of their color reveals the extent of their toxicity to predators. The research also found that the more conspicuous and colorful the ladybird species, the less likely it is to be attacked by birds.
The brighter the ladybird the more toxic it is to predators, new research from the Universities of Exeter and Cambridge show.
Although red ladybirds with black spots are most familiar, ladybirds are a diverse group of species and come in many different colours and patterns, from yellow and orange to even camouflaged browns. The bright colouration of different ladybird species acts as a warning signal, telling potential predators to beware of the foul smelling, poisonous chemicals they use for defence.
The study which is published in the journal Scientific Reports, also found that the more conspicuous and colourful the ladybird species, the less likely it is to be attacked by birds.
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