There was a slight aquatic emergency in our pool yesterday afternoon when I rescued a bright ladybug from the top of the water by skimming her up with a leaf. After placing it down and watching her for a minute, I picked up my iphone and thought I’d try my hand at nature photography. Most of the pictures were blurry (my specialty) but all them revealed two golden glowing “eyes” on the ladybugs little face, I guess from the reflection of the brilliant sun we had yesterday. I thought I would share a couple to bring us all a little luck!
Curiosity got the better of me so I did some online research about why ladybugs are considered lucky, and I came up with some interesting facts:
Ladybugs aren’t really bugs at all, they’re beetles!
Entomologically speaking, the term bugs applies to insects of the order Hemiptera. Ladybugs belong to the order Coleoptera, or beetles. Europeans have called these dome-backed beetles by the name ladybirds, or ladybird beetles, for over 500 years. In America, the name ladybird was replaced by ladybug. Scientists usually prefer the common name lady beetles.
The “Lady” in ladybug refers to the Virgin Mary. Legend has it that crops in Europe during the Middle Ages were plagued by pests, so the farmers began praying to the Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary. Soon, the farmers started seeing ladybugs in their fields, and the crops were miraculously saved from the pests. They associated their good fortune with the black and red beetles, and so began calling them lady beetles.
Ladybugs bleed from their knees when threatened. Startle a ladybug, and the foul-smelling fluid 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.
Also, Ladybugs may pretend they are dead and fall to the ground if threatened.
Four ladybugs were sent into space in 1999 on NASA’s space shuttle. Ladybugs and their main food, aphids, were sent to a zero-gravity environment to study how the aphids could get away from the ladybugs without being able to jump using gravity.
Not only adorable, but interesting too. Have a lucky weekend!
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Ladybug information from: 10 Cool Facts about Ladybugs
Cool pic! Plus, I love to learn something new! Have a great weekend Elisa!
Thanks, you too Sherry!!
Great photos. Loved the cool facts.
Thanks Pat, I had a little fun with that.
Have a great weekend!
elisa
And, of course, ladybugs are not all ladies and are not true bugs. Most scientists refer to them now as lady beetles or ladybird beetles. I like “lady beetles” because they are not birds either, so why ladybird beetles?
Ha! You are a good entomologist!
I was a rushed blogger and did not include the fact that the ladybug is really a beetle….I will update my list!
The golden eyes on the ladybug make the photo.
I think she was sending me a thank you for saving me from drowning message through her glowing eyes, don’t you? sort of like E.T.!!
The picture turned out beautifully. And way to go with the rescue. Hm . . . Maybe they (the nsects, of course) will even christen you with a special title. I dub thee “The Lady bug Lifeguard”
Yes….maybe even a knighthood from the high order of ladybugs! I will have to remember not to let it go straight to my head!
Have a great weekend!
elisa
Oh, yes, and a cape, too, perhaps? Red with black spots
You, too, Elisa!
Don’t forget the tiara!
Never!
I’m wondering, Did the aphids get away from the ladybugs or not?
Beautiful photos.
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! No, the ladybugs prevailed even without gravity on their side. I will publish the link!
Have a beautiful weekend!
elisa
Here is a link where you can read about what happened with the ladybug experiment in space!
http://elysiumgates.com/~mamawolf/facts.html
Thanks for reading!
elisa
Great job with your iPhone! Thanks for the info on lady beetles…I’ve learned something new today!
Have a great weekend Elisa!
Thanks, you have a great weekend too. Supposed to be stormy!!
Elisa
very educational!
I have a camera apps that you should look at…
camera+, check it out…it’s .99…you can also buy some add ons…
G
You are so nice!!! I don’t know if that app will help. I am impatient, half middle-aged-blind and probably ADHD with creative tendencies!!
How is your weather? We are in the middle of a terrible thunder storm with tornado watches. It’s raining sideways…
Wow…things I didn’t know about LadyBug beetles! Poor babies…they bleed through their knees? How hard is it to find their tiny knees? Your photos are amazing from a cell!
Elisa, since you are the wonderful Lady Bug rescuer…I think you should watch for bleeding Lady Bug knees and apply bandages!
Have a great weekend!
I hope they use the bleed through the knees option as a last resort! It’s hard to believe there’s so much going on under that red and black shell, isn’t it??
You too!
Elisa, that was so intriguing. You have a great weekend too!
Thanks Terri!
Interesting post. And I think you did a wonderful job photographing the ladybug with your iPhone – great shots!
Thank you so much for reading! I do love that iphone camera….so reliable. I’ve been enjoying your blog!
elisa
Beautiful pictures and very interesting facts. I love ladybugs since i was a kid.
I always loved them too. I always thought they were considered lucky because you were lucky to see one!!
Love this post Elisa! It is so interesting, I especially loved reading about where the name of the ladybird/ladybug came from, as I am passionate about languages & the origins of words, phrases, names, etc – so I love reading stuff like this!! And the fact that ladybugs were sent into space along with some aphids actually made me laugh a little – insects on a space shuttle is quite a comical image
These photos are amazing too! I love the final photo, where you’ve managed to capture her with her wings spread, ready to fly off! Brilliant article!! xoxo