Ladybird Minibeast Adventure with Jess

Hello, adventurers! I'm Jess!

It's time for a Minibeast Adventure!

# Feelers out, what's about?

# Creeping, sleeping Under stones, here and there

# Nesting, resting Minibeasts are everywhere

# Minibeasts are everywhere

# Look and listen, stop and stare

# Minibeasts are everywhere

# A Minibeast Adventure

# Feelers out, what's about?

# Minibeasts are everywhere Look and listen, stop and stare

# Mini worlds for us to share

# A Minibeast Adventure

# With Jess! #

Welcome to my tree house.

You've probably seen this minibeast before.

It's one of our best-known beetles

and is usually red with black spots.

Yes, it's a ladybird! I've got quite a few in here.

Let's take a closer look.

Here's one. How many black spots can you count?

One, two!

But ladybirds can have up to 20 spots!

They may have different numbers of spots,

but ladybirds always have six legs.

Underneath the shell, they have wings.

Ladybirds can fly as well as crawl.

Oops, off it goes! Beautiful, aren't they?

But that bright red colour also means,

"Danger! Don't eat me, I taste horrible!"

Now, there's sure to be a ladybird living near you.

Shall we go and find one?

Come on!

Whatever the weather, we're off together on a Minibeast Adventure!

Hi, Kit! Hi, Brodie!

-BOTH: Hi, Jess!

-I'm so glad you're here

because today we're going on a ladybird adventure!

-Have you seen a ladybird before?

-Yeah.

-What are they like?

They have a red body with black legs

-and a red head and black spots.

-Yes.

Great! Where do you think we might find some of those?

-Under logs and under woodchips and in grass.

-Excellent!

Let's go and have a look, then! Get your feelers ready.

ALL: Feelers out, what's about?

We're off on a Minibeast Adventure!

(I've found something.)

What have you...? Oh, wow, what's that?

-It's black.

-It's black.

-Not really sure.

-I don't know what it is.

It looks like it's some kind of beetley thing.

It does look like a ladybird but it isn't moving.

It looks like it has armoured little things there.

It does look like armour, doesn't it?

It is a ladybird cocoon and there's a ladybird in there.

Well, if you have a look at this end, there's a little hole there.

-Yeah, I can see it.

-That's where the ladybird came out,

so this is an empty ladybird cocoon!

It looks like you can play noughts and crosses on it.

It does look a bit like a noughts-and-crosses board!

That's so cool!

Shall we see if we can find some grown-up ladybirds now?

Come on, then.

-Do you think any ladybirds live in this tree?

-Yeah.

-No, I don't.

-I think...

-I've found a bug!

-What have you found?

I've found a kind of bee thing.

Oh, my goodness, boys! You've found something amazing!

-Does this look anything like that cocoon we found?

-Yes.

-No.

One of you thinks yes and one of you thinks no.

Well, what would you think

if I told you that this was what it was before it became that cocoon?

So it's a ladybird but it doesn't have spots?

-Yes, this is a baby ladybird.

-It looks like a caterpillar.

Well, it is the equivalent of a caterpillar

for a ladybird, isn't it? And it's the same sort of colours,

but instead of being red with black spots, it's black with red stripes.

That tickles.

-It does look a little bit magic.

-It looks a little bit magic?

It is a little bit magical that that goes into a cocoon

and turns into a beautiful ladybird, isn't it?

-Does it tickle?

-Yeah.

-I think you should put it back on a leaf.

I think we should put it back because it needs to

make its cocoon and turn into a grown-up ladybird, doesn't it?

So now we've seen a cocoon, we've seen a baby,

-what else do we need to see?

-Big ones.

-Big ones!

-So where do you think we should find some big ones?

-There?

In there?

I've found a ladybird.

-I've found one.

-Oh, wow!

-Yeah.

Oh, my goodness, it's a grown-up one, isn't it?

Shall we put it in a box so we can see it more clearly?

-Wow, isn't that pretty?

-It has orange spots.

-Shall we find more?

-It does have orange spots.

We thought it was going to be red with black spots.

-Why have we found a black one with red spots?

-I don't know!

-Are there lots of different colour ladybirds?

-BOTH: Yes!

-What other colours can you get?

-You can get yellow ones with black spots.

-And blue ones.

-Blue ones?!

-Yeah, blue ones with orange spots.

-Wow, so they come in lots of different colours.

-Yeah.

Though I'm not so sure about blue!

And I see it's got a little pattern on the bottom.

Oh, yes, it is stripy, isn't it?

And the cocoon was a bit stripy, wasn't it?

And the baby was a bit stripy.

So maybe that's one thing that's the same about the baby,

the cocoon and the ladybird.

How many times can you flap your arms

in the time it takes to say "ladybird?"

Three perhaps?

Ladybird!

In that time, a flying ladybird has flapped its wings 90 times.

90! Wow!

Ladybirds love sunny days.

But what happens to ladybirds when it's cold?

-They, um, go in a house.

-Yes, they find warm places to hide.

Sometimes they snuggle up with lots of other ladybirds,

and if you're lucky, you could find them hiding indoors somewhere.

But if they're outdoors, they need somewhere warm to hide.

So we thought we'd make some ladybird houses

for them to hide in in the winter.

So, Kit and Brodie each have a flowerpot,

and that's where they're going to make their ladybird house.

And we're going to fill those with bamboo.

What do you think these bamboo sticks would be good for?

They can go through these holes and get out the other side.

Yeah, so they could hide in the middle, can't they?

-What do you think this straw is for?

-Erm, locking the door.

And holding the sticks together so they'll be nice and cosy.

Yes, exactly! We're going to put it around the edge so it holds

all of the sticks together and keeps them nice and cosy and warm.

-Excellent! Can you do that, then?

-And they have a soft, erm, floor.

That looks like a good ladybird house, doesn't it?

So inside those bamboo sticks they'll be safe and warm.

-Isn't that brilliant? Great! Do you think it's ready?

-BOTH: Yeah.

Do you think the ladybirds are going to like their houses?

I think they look fantastic.

I loved that Minibeast Adventure.

Wasn't it brilliant that Kit and Brodie managed

to find some baby ladybirds?

You could go on a ladybird adventure too.

Find a sunny spot and look amongst the leaves.

But if you do find anything,

most importantly, remember to put it back.

Feelers out, what's about? Happy hunting, adventurers!