As Lady Like As A Lady Bird!

I thought I would do this month’s article on the rather eye catching and beautiful- lady bird! So let’s start with something I reckon a lot of you are wondering- why are they called lady birds?

The name ladybird comes from the Middle Ages. The beetles were called the "beetle of Our Lady" because, at that time, the Virgin Mary was often depicted in paintings wearing red clothing.

Mary was often depicted wearing a red cloak in early paintings, and the spots of the seven-spot ladybird (the most common in Europe) were said to symbolise her seven joys and seven sorrows. In the United States, the name was adapted to ladybug. The collective name for ladybirds is the Coccinellidae, which has its origins in the Latin word coccineus meaning "scarlet". The majority of coccinellid species are generally considered beneficial insects, because many species prey on herbivorous  hemipterans such as aphids or scale insects, which are agricultural pests.

Many cultures consider ladybirds lucky and have nursery rhymes or local names for the

insects that reflect this. For instance, the Turkish name for the insect is uğur böceği, literally meaning "good luck bug". In many countries, including Russia, Turkey, and Italy, the sight of a coccinellid is either a call to make a wish or a sign that a wish will soon be granted. There are simply so many cool facts about lady birds and while they are extremely common, they are certainly memorable, with their distinct spotted patterns and bold bright colours. We think of lady birds as bugs but as they belong to the beetle

family, this means they’re not actually bugs at all! We’ve all done it, you go to remove a lady bird from the house and get covered in a smelly yellow substance, what is that? Well, lady bird’s bleed from their knees when they feel threatened, weird right? Startle a lady bird, and its foul-smelling hemolymph will seep from its leg joints, leaving yellow stains on the surface below. Potential predators may be deterred by the vile mix of alkaloids, and equally repulsed by the sight of a seemingly sickly beetle.

Their wonderful patterns aren’t just to look pretty- Insect-eating birds and other animals learn to avoid meals that come in red and black, and are more likely to steer clear of lady birds for lunch.

Over its lifetime, a lady bird may consume as many as 5,000 aphids! Did you also know that lady bird larvae resemble tiny alligators, with elongated bodies and bumpy skin. Lady birds also hibernate- you may have discovered clusters of them if you’ve ever moved items around in the winter in a shed. As days get shorter and temperatures fall, lady birds seek shelter behind bark, under leaves, or in other protected locations. Thousands of lady birds may gather in the same location, taking advantage of the

collective warmth of a colony. Contrary to popular opinion- you cannot tell a lady birds age from counting its spots. The spots on its back have nothing whatsoever to do with its age, fun as it may be to count them.

To tell you the truth- lady birds are actually very un-lady like-they even practice

cannibalism! When food is scarce- they will eat each other, yikes! Despite this, they still hold a special place in our natural environment and remain one of the most recognisable and known bugs (or should I say beetle!).