She's a lady!

Yep..she is a lady..maybe.  I really could not tell! They all look alike to me!...... As I stood looking out the window, I noticed a tiny bug between the glass and window screen.  Well, that is not good!  The poor little thing will die there!  The bug would crawl all the way up to the top of the screen and then fall to the bottom only to start the climb anew.  I knew the poor little thing would soon dehydrate so I opened the window and poked my finger in its path.  Sure enough, the little rascal crawled right up on my finger.   Carefully, the bug was transported out to the Jasmine vines.  There it would be free to go wherever it pleased and live happily ever after!  Back inside, I pulled the window down and was accosted by a handful of bugs!  What?  Why are these critters in my window?  I quickly tried to gather them all up and escort them out to the Jasmine vine as well.  Whew!  Hopefully, that was the end of the critter invasion for the day!  Not so..inside...more bugs!  The only good thing about this whole situation is that these were Ladybugs and not some dreaded termite, nasty roach or evil spider!  (Before  anyone gets their shorts in a wad about me calling spiders evil...I really do not dislike them at all.  I have just been bitten far too many times to welcome them in my house.)  Anyway, the Ladybugs really do not bother me other than the fact that they will dehydrate, die and leave their tiny carcasses on my window ledge.  Therefore, I try to catch them all and tote them outside.

The Ladybugs (both male and female go by that name) are wonderful bugs to having crawling about in the garden.  They eat aphids which are not so wonderful to have crawling about in the garden!  That is common knowledge but how they got their name may not be.  Of course, as with most things of this nature, we cannot be positive that the legend is true.  It might be total hogwash but at least it makes for a delightful tale!  It seems that back in the day..many, many years ago..(perhaps the Middle Ages!), aphids were devouring the crops.  The story says that the Catholic farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help!  Lo and behold..there came a new bug into the fields and this new bug was munching on the aphids!  Since the farmers had prayed to Mary, this bug was called the "Beetle from Our Lady". This name was shortened to Ladybeetle and eventually to Ladybug! Now, I cannot vouch for any part of the legend since (contrary to my kids) I was not around back in the Middle Ages but I do like the story!  And I do like Ladybugs regardless of how they got their names!  And I do like Ladybugs...I just wish they would stay outside!