The Way Of The Lady Bug

Early spring mornings are special, the air is cool but not so much as one might be in need of a light jacket. The world is yet quiet, the noisy ones have not yet began to stir and as the first light of day breaks across a blue Carolina sky, the birds begin their song.

An old straw hat, a stout walking stick and my camera are all that I take with me, as I walk a small woodland path down to the hollow where a small creek winds its way. As I walk I am always watchful for every little thing that moves, it is the little things that matter most in my life and the camera lens that I use to capture them will tell of their activities.

For instance I have noted that the Lady Bugs have began to stir, their bright orange and black spotted elytra shinning in the morning sun. They wander the small limbs of the shrubs and the young saplings of trees, ambling along, so seemingly without purpose.

They move about with their small heads down low, investigating any and all things that may come their way but still quite yet aware of any impending danger. Shy things they are too, as I try to photograph them. Turning this way and that, as I intrude into their lives pointing the lens of my camera at them, trying to capture hopefully, an interesting moment in their lives, though that they seem not to be willing to share.

It is spring after all and we know that something special is in the air. Though we cannot sense that of which these creatures are aware, it is a time of renewal, a time when the old must step aside and the new must take its place.

The courtship ritual of these Lady Bugs is somewhat humorous to observe.  Around and around they go, clinging to one another until one would think that both would be to dizzy to stay where they are and fall to the ground below but yet this is their way of expressing the affection that one has for the other.

The lives of these Lady Bugs are quite important to us though, in that Lady Bugs help to keep our gardens healthy and just how is that one might ask?  Well Lady Bugs feed on other insects, their favorite fare being the Aphid, of which we all know that the Aphids do carry plant viruses and can infect and destroy our favorite flowers or veggies by transmitting these viruses via their piercing rostrums, while sucking the sap from the plants they live upon.  The Lady Bugs feed upon the intruding and destructive Aphids and make very quick work of them, thus keeping our gardens safe and healthy from the predatory attacks of other insects, especially the Aphid.

Perhaps we should take notice too that, Lady Bugs are territorial, always returning to where they were born or hatched, to lay the eggs of thier offspring, which will come to do the same at a much latter time, therefore insuring that ones garden will always have a form of biological pest control available.

Lastly with all of this “round about” display of affection that I have mentioned earlier, this is the end result.  These are the eggs of the Lady Bug to be found on small stems or on the needles of the pine trees, of which Lady Bugs also frequent at this time of the year. 

                        Hey!  Your lights are on!