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Folklore's Environmental Friend

© Virginia Marin

Bug is an old word for Goblin, Sprite or Bogy. It is thought to come from the Welsh bwg, meaning ghost. In folklore, the word also refers to a monster, scarecrow or Hobgoblin which takes the form of a bear, but in common word usage, the word bug is applied to almost any kind of insect of the creeping crawling sort...

Enter Lady Bug

Lady Bug, Lady Bug fly away home.
Lady Bug, Lady Bug, your house is on fire.
Lady Bug, Lady Bug, your children will burn.
(Nursery Rhyme)

This little ditty may be a popular nursery rhyme, but it is not good gardening advice to encourage Lady Bugs to fly away. Lady Bugs are good for the environment, and should be encouraged to remain wherever the control of garden pests is needed, without having to use pesticides.

Lady Bugs, also known as lady beetles, are a beneficial group of insects. This environmental exterminator can consume in excess of five thousand aphids in its lifetime. A lifespan includes one hibernation cycle. Lady Bugs are predacious and feed on other insects, their eggs and larvae. They enjoy aphids, scale insects and spider mites. The various species can also be canabalistic.

These cute little beetles are social insects, which do not enjoy a hierachical system. They are most active in the summer months, and hibernate in winter where they assemble in mass under wood and rocks. Prior to hibernation, hundreds of eggs are laid on aphid covered leaves that will be a source of food for the lady larva.

It is easy to attract Lady Bugs to a garden or anyplace where insect pest irradication is needed. Pollen and vector flowers such as dill and angelica are attractors as are grains and flowering weeds--dandelion, wild carrot and yarrow.

The name Lady Bug can be traced to the Middle Ages where these little beetles were known as Our Lady's Beetle. They were dedicated to the Virgin Mary because of the belief that they were divinely sent from heaven to save crops which were being devoured by ravenous insects. Today, some cultures rever the Lady Bug as they are believed to usher in a bountiful harvest, grant good weather and bring good luck.

Other folklore is associated with the Lady Bug. If one lights on a hand or clothing, that person will experience good luck, provided the person allows the Lady Bug to fly away of its own will. The person can lightly blow on the Lady Bug to encourage it to fly, but it should not be brushed away, or bad luck will surely befall prior to sundown.

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