Hobbies And Interests
State Insect for Many States
The seven-spotted ladybug is the official state insect for Delaware, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Hampshire and Tennessee . A 1975 Ohio Resolution says that the ladybug was made official state insect because, like the people of Ohio, the insect is "proud and friendly, bringing delight to millions of children." The nine-spotted ladybug was named the official insect for the state of New York in 1989.
Believed to Be Lucky
Ladybugs are considered lucky in many cultures, including in the United States and in China, where they have associations with successful adoptions. The reasons the bug is thought to be lucky may be related to the fact that many of them have seven spots, or it may be because they are so helpful to farmers.
How the Ladybug Got Its Name
The name "ladybug" originated in Europe. Christian farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help in freeing their crops from the blight of insects. At first they were chagrined to find that their prayers brought more insects. Soon they found that the ladybugs were actually helpful, eating other insects rather than crops. To show their gratitude to the Virgin Mary, they called the bugs "The beetle of our Lady" which was eventually shortened to ladybug.
How the Ladybug Avoids Getting Eaten
The bright red color of the ladybug signals to would-be predators that it is not delicious. But the insect has other strategies to avoid becoming someone's dinner. When the threat of a predator looms, ladybugs secrete a foul-tasting oily liquid. Sometimes the insect even "plays dead."
Diet
A ladybug can eat up to 5,000 insects in its lifetime. Not all ladybugs are helpful to farmers in this way, however. The Mexican Bean Beetle and the Squash Beetle are varieties of ladybug that feed on the crops that they are named after.