Ladybug Reminds Us, Life Is All Around

This is our second hydrangea photo in a week but we just can't resist sharing this little ladybug who was visiting us on the hydrangeas that refuse to open all the way. This is the time of year when something beautiful in nature presents itself with each new glance. Carrying your camera out to the garden pays off.

Ladybugs are actually in the beetle family. With over 5,000 species, these coccinellids are found worldwide. Four hundred and fifty species are native to North America alone. If you check the previous link, you will learn that the name actually comes from Mary, Jesus' mother, as the (European) ladybug-- featured above-- has a red cloak with seven spots, representing Mary's seven joys and seven sorrows. In the winter, ladybugs like to invade homes. Speaking of invading, Asian ladybugs are invading the USA and are causing concern with gardeners in the NC mountains (read here); however, so far in Greensboro, we seem relatively spared the recently imported ladybug. If you have ladybugs in your garden, they are helpful in reducing the aphid population. You can even purchase ladybugs for that purpose. Are you a ladybug lover? If so, head over to the Parisian Promenade at Tanger Bicentennial Garden from 1-5 and you'll be sure to see some nature, both real and recreated!

Comments

[cieldequimper]

Oh I love ladybirds (that's what we call them). Unfortunately, our native ladybirds are being colonised by Chinese ones (not a joke) and are dying...

[Jane Mitchell]

I've always liked the thought of ladybugs, especially since I learned that in French they are often referred to as "la bête à bon Dieu."(God's creature).

[Irina]

So interesting. I am the ladybug's lover! But how to explain that here we name them "bozhya korovka" (God's little cow)?

[Jack Hart]

My friend pastor's a church in Millers Creek, NC, every few years they are so bad they over run the church. When they die they have to be vacuumed up!
Jack