Larva of the transverse ladybird

Nature always has a way of telling its stories every second, even through tiny bodies like the larva I encountered. I found the larva resting peacefully on the tip of a green leaf. Its body color was beautiful, a beautiful blend of black and orange, contrasting beautifully with the color of the leaf it was perched on.

Not only that, but its body shape was also very unique. Its body was long, sharply segmented, and spiny. Upon closer inspection, its body shape resembled that of a crocodile. Luckily, it was super tiny, I couldn't imagine how terrifying it would have been if it were any larger. Luckily, it was super small, so I didn't break out in a cold sweat while photographing it.

It was the larva of the transverse ladybird, better known as the farmer's friend. It's a natural pest exterminator. So, there's no need to be afraid of its intimidating body, as it will help us protect our gardens from other creatures that like to damage crops. In Latin, this insect is known as Coccinella transversalis and belongs to the Coccinellidae family.