Operation Ladybug

 Like most children, I have always been fascinated by Ladybugs, mainly because of how stinkin' cute they are.  So when Kevin came home with a bag of Ladybugs, I wasn't quite sure what to think! Apparently, Ladybugs can be a gardeners best friend.

 

 

 You may not be able to see them in the picture below, but some of the bushes along the side of the house were covered with tiny little hungry aphids.

 

   

Following the directions on the bag (and from Kevin's previous experience) we refrigerated the Ladybugs, and then after dark, we took them outside...   On a totally unrelated note, it was about as humid as I've ever felt here in this part of Texas... the air was heavy with the smell of cow dung, but (as strange as it may sounds)  not unpleasantly so.  On the horizon, the sky gathered a line of ominous storm clouds...  They were moving so quickly, that within minutes, you could smell the rain, and the humidity was swept away with a crisp, cool breeze... We rushed to release our Ladybugs before the storm made it to us.

 

The next morning, we came back to make sure the Ladybugs hadn't flown away... they were all over the plants, and you could already see a noticeable difference in the amount of aphids. 

 

Fascinated and intrigued, we looked up the origin of the name Ladybug and found that there are several legends.  My favorite is this:

"In Europe, during the Middle Ages, insects were destroying the crops, so the Catholic farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. Soon the Ladybugs came, ate the plant-destroying pests and saved the crops! The farmers began calling the ladybugs "The Beetles of Our Lady", and they eventually became known as "Lady Beetles"! The red wings represented the Virgin's cloak and the black spots represented her joys and sorrows. They didn't differentiate between males and females."

Other really cool fun facts about Ladybugs found online: 

• Ladybugs eat Aphids. Aphids are soft bodied insects that suck the juices out of plants. If you have roses in your garden, you have seen aphids. Aphids also come in a variety of colors and not all ladybugs like all the "flavors" of aphids. Ladybugs will also feed on scale insects and plant mites.  

• Nature has uniquely designed a warning system of colors. Red, yellow and black are colors that warn predators that the insect they are about to eat might not be a good lunch choice. The colors can warn of danger such as poisonous, bad taste, or the ability to defend itself against the predators. Colors can also camouflage and warn when there is nothing about the insect that is harmful. 

• Ladybugs can also protect themselves by playing dead. By pulling their legs up "turtle-style", and typically release a small amount of blood from their legs. (This is called reflex bleeding.) The bad smell and the apparent look of death usually deter predators from their small ladybug snack. After the threat of danger has passed, the ladybug will resume its normal activities. 

• Because Ladybugs eat lots of aphids and other pest insects, many gardeners and farmers use them for pest control instead of chemicals.
• A Ladybug can lay up to 1000 eggs in its lifetime.
• Not all Ladybugs have spots.
• Ladybugs will clean themselves after a meal.
• Ladybugs come in many colors like pink, yellow, white, orange and black.
• Over 300 types of Ladybugs live in North America.
• Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes bad so predators won’t eat them. 
• Ladybugs hibernate in large groups in cold weather.
• Many countries consider a ladybug to be a sign of good luck.
• Ladybugs are actually beetles, so sometimes are called LadyBeetles.
• The bright colors of Ladybugs warn birds that they don’t taste good.
• The spots on a Ladybug fade as they get older.