June 13th is a day when even the sternest adults smile upon seeing a tiny red bug with black spots on a leaf. Ladybug Day. An unofficial ecological holiday celebrated by nature lovers in Europe, America, and gradually in Russia. Why does the ladybug deserve a separate date? What is so useful about it? And why is its name associated with God? Let's crawl along the leaves with this cute creature together.

History of the Holiday

Ladybug Day is celebrated on June 13th. It was invented in the 1990s in the United States by amateur entomologists to draw attention to useful insects. Gradually, the holiday spread to Europe. In Russia, it has been celebrated since the 2010s, mainly in schools and nature conservation centers. The date was chosen not by chance: in the northern hemisphere, ladybugs are most active in mid-June: they come out of hibernation, mate, and look for aphids.

Why "Ladybug"

In different languages, the name of the bug is connected with the divine. In Russian, it is "bожья коровка." According to legend, the insect brings luck and belongs to God. Killing it is a sin. In English, it is "ladybug" (lady-beetle), in honor of the Virgin Mary. In German, it is "Marienkäfer" (beetle of the Virgin Mary). In French, it is "bête à bon Dieu" (beast of the good God). In common: the red color is associated with the cloak of the Virgin Mary, and the seven spots with seven sorrows or joys. In the pagan tradition, the ladybug was considered the messenger of the sun.

Biology: What Lies Behind the Beauty

The ladybug is a beetle from the family Coccinellidae. There are about 5,000 species in the world, 200 in Russia. The most common is the seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). It eats aphids: one individual can eat up to 100 aphids a day! The larva is even more voracious - up to 400. In winter, ladybugs enter diapause, gathering in huge gatherings under the bark, in fallen leaves. In the spring, they wake up and give birth. They live for 1-2 years.

Coloration: A Warning to Predators

Red or yellow with black spots is aposematic coloring (a warning). Birds know: ladybugs are poisonous (they secrete a bitter yellow hemolymph). The spots can be of different numbers: from 2 to 24. Some species do not have them. Patterns are unique, like fingerprints. The brighter, the more dangerous.

Benefit for the Garden and Orchard

The ladybug is the best friend of a gardener. It destroys aphids, mealybugs, spider mites, Colorado potato beetle larvae (not all). Do not use insecticides if you see ladybugs. Attract them to the garden: plant dill, fennel, yarrow, calendula. You can buy ladybugs at garden centers (they are sold in containers, in the refrigerator in winter). One ladybug can save a rose bush from aphids.

Myths and Superstitions

According to omens, if a ladybug lands on your hand, you should make a wish and blow it away. It will come true. The number of spots will indicate how many months it will take to come true. Killing a ladybug is a misfortune. Finding a ladybug in winter is luck. Seeing many ladybugs is a good harvest. In medieval Europe, they were used to predicting the weather.

Threats and Conservation

Ladybugs are threatened by: pesticides, loss of habitat (deforestation, drainage of bogs), invasive species (the Asian ladybug-harmony displaces local ones). On Ladybug Day, entomologists urge: do not kill aphids with chemicals, leave corners of wild nature. Feed ladybugs with sugar water (a drop on a leaf). Do not catch them for collections unless you are a scientist.

How to Celebrate June 13th

Go to the garden or park, look for a ladybug. Take a photo, but do not take it in your hand (you can damage the wings). Count the spots. Make a ladybug feeder (a plate with sugar water). Plant a plant that attracts aphids? No, you don't need to breed aphids. Better plant dill. Offer children to draw a ladybug, mold it out of clay. Tell them about its benefits. Organize a "ladybug count" (observation).

Ladybug Day is an opportunity to stop and look at a small wonder. An insect that saves the harvest and delights the eye. Do not kill them, do not offend them. They are our allies. And when a tiny ladybug sits on a finger, make a wish. It will definitely come true, for this little bug is the messenger of God.

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