Friday, July 24, 2009

Who you calling a Lady, bug?!

Today's Wonder of the World is...the Ladybug!

Flickr photo by porcelain duck
Or ladybird, lady cow, may bug, or even Bishop that Burneth, depending where you live.
It's sort of a wonder that we often think of ladybugs as cute little creatures, when they're really just beetles with polka dots.
I don't normally invite beetles to crawl on me, though I will do that with a ladybug. I'd even ride around in this.

Flickr photo by becaneck
I saw one of those a couple days ago and remembered this cute little ladybug.

Hey Ladybug Gillian, who was born sans antennae but with that full head of blond hair. Hey mermaids Sarah and Katherine, and Baby Penguin Ben in my arms in the background. It's hard to believe he's almost 17 and now has chipmunk cheeks from having his wisdom teeth surgically removed.

Sorry, I got lost in yesteryear for a moment.

Back to ladybugs...
So anyway, I saw a ladybug car a week or two ago and then turned on the radio and heard the latest ladybug news. It seems there's ladybug craziness in the air.
See what I mean?

It's a puzzle, huh?
Suddenly it's a Ladybug Woodstock in some places,

Flickr photo by TienAnton
And other places? Nada!
The scientists need our help to figure it out. If you've got a budding entomologist at home--or maybe you're one yourself--hop over here and join in.
Who knows, they may be coming to your town next!

Flickr photo by skadoodle83
You might enjoy the visit. Legend says that if a ladybug lands on you, you get your wish. I remember hearing in France that if a ladybug (une bête à bon Dieu=the Good Lord's beast) crawls across your hand, you'll be married within a year. What do you get if you're already married?
I doubt they'll swing by my place. A few dozen had a family reunion in my bathroom last winter and sort of overstayed their welcome. We helped them out the door for a few days and then we resorted to...well, I won't go into details. It wasn't pretty.

Speaking of pretty, do you know how to tell a boy ladybug from a girl without looking down any ladybug trousers? The Manbugs are smaller. That's it.
Oh, and they don't like to be flirted with by rowdy bar bugs.

At least Francis doesn't.

Before you fly away, fly away, fly away home, tell me, how do you stand on the ladybug issue? Cute little beast or creepy crawly beetle?
The world wants to know. At least I do.
Have a wonder-full weekend, everybody!
Love, Becky

7 comments:

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I love them one at a time....a whole hoard??? Not so sure.

I have always found them to be the most perfectly designed little bugs.

Southern Living: Preppy Style said...

Now, you know Janet and ladybugs have a love/hate relationship, don't you? I think it was last year her house was COVERED in them, like your picture with all the millions of them.

I personally, love ladybugs, and have a personal collection of different types (all in storage at my parents house). My grandfather had a ladybug on his funeral casket, he always loved them too, so that was kind of a special meaning for me personally.

Kelly H-Y said...

I definitely think they're a cute little beast ... they're one of the few bugs I think that of! :-)

Susan Sandmore said...

I still think they're adorable. And incidentally, Bug's Life has moved up my Pixar list (from where it used to sit, second to the bottom) thanks to the more recent, more depressing releases.

rochambeau said...

Lady bugs are good luck!
A whole hoard? A whole lotta good luck methinks!

Dear Becky,
THANK you for your birthday wishes!

xox
Constance

Unknown said...

Wow! That's a LOTTA lady bugs, LOL!

That little blonde girl in the ladybug costume is adorable!!! So are her mermaid (cousins?).

Adrienne said...

I love ladybugs! Sometimes we buy a bagful for our garden.
The larvae are scary-looking, though! We found them in the yard and had no idea what they were.