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The Effect of the Color of Flowers on Ladybug Behavior

CSEF · 2012 Zoology

Danielle A. Valenzuela · Ramona Convent Secondary School, Alhambra, Los Angeles County

Overview

Objectives/Goals The goal of my experiment is to help gardeners find a specific flower color that will attract more ladybugs. By having this information gardeners will know how to fight off garden bad guys such as aphids that may be harming their plants. By attracting ladybugs into gardens, gardeners are helping to keep themselves, others, and the environment safe. Instead of choosing deadly toxins and pesticides that are usually used on plants, ladybugs are a much safer way to control pests. Methods/Materials For my experiment I tested three different colored flowers; red, lavender, and white Cosmos, a specific type of flower that is commonly known to attract ladybugs. The experiment lasted for 5 days and consisted of watering each flower a ½ cup of water everyday and counting the number of ladybugs that had congregated, or settled, on each flower each day. Results My results showed that the most ladybugs had congregated to the white flower. Therefore the white flower was most attractive which means that lighter colored flowers would be a better choice in order to protect your garden. With this knowledge, gardeners could now be encouraged to choose lighter colored flowers to make their garden look beautiful instead of having to use toxic pesticides. My results supported my hypothesis that #If the color of flower is lighter, then the ladybug will be most attracted to it# because of the fact that ladybug#s main food source, aphids, are light colored and ladybug contaminated homes are also light colored. Conclusions/Discussion The purpose of my experiment is to help gardeners find the best flower color that will attract ladybugs and fight off garden pests such as aphids. The findings of the experiment were that the ladybugs were most attracted to the white flower. My hypothesis was supported by my data that if the color of the flower is lighter, than the ladybug will be most attracted to it. The results showed that lighter colored flower would be a better choice in order for gardeners to protect their flowers. A possible explanation for the ladybugs# attraction to the lighter colored flower would be because the Ladybug#s main food source, aphids, are light colored. This may also contribute to ladybug contaminated homes being light colored. A good way to improve the experiment would be to test if pesticides contain a chemical which may be the reason why ladybugs are so luring to them.

Summary statement

My project is about helping gardeners find a specific flower color that will attract more ladybugs, which is a much safer way to control garden pests rather than choosing deadly toxins and pestices that are usually used on plants.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2012 Zoology · Entry J2219

Resources

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