Ladybug: The Most Coddled Bug In The World
April 12th, 2006
What’s so special about ladybugs?
I mean, do you ever hear anyone saying “Oh, look it’s a spider!?” Or “Oh, look it’s an earthworm!”. No. You hear “Oh god, it’s a spider!!” Or “Eiw, an earthworm.”
There’s a million bugs out there who might be just as pretty as a ladybug, but no one seems to care. It’s ladybug-this and ladybug-that and oh my I just wish I could hang out with ladybugs all day long and have them crawl over my left thumb.
I’m getting tired of it, okay?
If you had a neighbor. And your neighbor had a daughter. And every time you were around them, the parents were letting that daughter climb all over them and get piggy-back rides and all the while they were saying things like “Oh, look it’s Beth! Oh look how pretty Beth is today! Oh my, Beth you are just so adorable…” you would probably get up, walk away, and say something to your friends like, “They are setting that kid up for a major ego-fall when she grows up.”
You would. I know you that well. You would totally say that.
Yet us humans walk around the face of the Earth giving the ladybug the benefit of the doubt on a 24-7 basis. I mean, these bugs are bugs yet because they have a little red shell and they fly and look like a little marble (instead of gross flapping wings or spindley legs) we embrace them like we want to be able to eat lunch with them in their part of the quad.
Ladybugs are the most coddled bug in the world.
It’s amazing ladybugs haven’t taken over the world with all of the lumbering, compliment-slathering humans around them. Letting them walk all over us, all the time? Due to the fact that when we find them in our homes, we carefully accompany them into the outside world so they can continue to procreate and give birth to even more stuck-up ladybugs. When we find a spider, we drown it or crush it with our feet. When we find a fly, we try to flatten it with a swatter. A slug, we squish and dispose of. From yellow jackets and bees (which we run from) to moths, ants and every other bug you can think of — we destroy destroy destroy them until there is nothing left.
But the ladybug gets our full compassion, attention and single-minded affection.
I say it’s time to take the ladybug down a few notches. No more of this coddling. No more of this unconditional love for the little red-backed annoyances. I say that the next time you see one you don’t screech with glee because, um, well…it’s a ladybug. I say that the next time you see one you don’t give it safe passage out your front door. It’s time to give those little buggers a reality check. Yeah, maybe you’ve had it made for the last million years, but now there’s an attitude adjustment washing over the human race and it may just be a little damn tougher for the “prettiest bugs in the buggy-kingdom” to get by.
I mean, you wouldn’t embrace a sickeningly-attractive trust-fund baby who does nothing but sit on your hands all day long and treat it with respect, would you?
So then give the ladybug some tough love and send it on its way.
It’s time we even things out.
—
In other news, the Lost Blogs grassroots campaign is going swimmingly. The over 40+ participants have been creating some really impressive entries and the rest of the world is taking notice.
Check out some of the coverage of the event over at USA Today, LAist and Pinky’s Paperhaus.
In some Asian cultures, it is believed that the Ladybug understands
human language…now Pauly, how do you think this post makes her feel.
Also, according to a Norse legend, the Ladybug came to earth riding on a bolt of lightning.
Comment by H.F. Peterman — April 12, 2006 @ 6:51 am
this confirms it.
you have no heart.
Comment by ms. sizzle — April 12, 2006 @ 7:26 am
just for your information: if you ever come to Spain you’d better not confess to be a ladybug lover unless you are homosexual.
Comment by TERI — April 12, 2006 @ 7:26 am
Ladybugs and worms. What other bugs or slimy things can you buy from stores that you actually might want? Seriously, bags of ladybugs. Of course if there’s ever a time for a ladybug uprising, that will be it.
“Stick me in a bag will you!”
Comment by monkeyinabox — April 12, 2006 @ 7:33 am
Bugs are gross. Ladybugs are bugs. Ergo, ladybugs are gross. I’m so glad you agree that they shouldn’t be coddled!
Btw - didn’t you once write about the spastic dance of one who’s terrified of bees? I was surprised you didn’t link that one…
Comment by annabel lee — April 12, 2006 @ 7:35 am
I like ladybugs.
Comment by Kathleen — April 12, 2006 @ 8:04 am
AL - Yeah, I didn’t want to relive the horror that is “bees.”
Comment by Pauly D — April 12, 2006 @ 9:05 am
Pauly?
I got you something:
http://tinyurl.com/jabso
Comment by Flower Girl — April 12, 2006 @ 9:34 am
Ladybug! Ladybug!
Fly away home.
Your house is on fire.
And your children all gone.
All except one,
And that’s little Ann,
For she crept under
The frying pan.
If that isn’t tough love I don’t know what is!
Comment by Syd — April 12, 2006 @ 9:56 am
Pauly, Did the ladybug ask for all this attention and adoration? Can the ladybug help it if it is attractive, entertaining and desirable? Is it the ladybug’s fault everyone is happy to see it and they want to hang out with it? Was it the ladybug’s idea for it’s friend to start a grassroots campaign to extole the virtues of and promote the ladybug?
Comment by susan — April 12, 2006 @ 10:22 am
I’m back! See my blog for the picture of my new little girl!
Comment by Amy — April 12, 2006 @ 10:30 am
I thought about writing something along these lines but I didn’t want to give ladybugs any more attention than they were already getting. Still, it needed to be said so I’m glad you wrote this.
Comment by Karl — April 12, 2006 @ 12:08 pm
So I should stop wearing my ladybug costume whenever I want positive attention?
Comment by sandra — April 12, 2006 @ 1:24 pm
I like the fact that ladybugs (which some people call “ladybirds” by the way) eat even grosser bugs than themselves… aphids.
So at least ladybugs look cool, which is more than what you can say for what they eat, so I am quite happy to let them be.
Comment by Dave2 — April 12, 2006 @ 1:47 pm
Wow, Pauly, you’re right. I DO let those ladybugs crawl all over my hands, yet I FREAK OUT if a lovely butterfly tries to land on me.
And don’t even get me started on spiders.
Comment by Rabbit — April 12, 2006 @ 3:24 pm
Here in PA, we used to have an awful problem with gypsy moths. Ladybugs eat gypsy moth eggs right from the nest, so the state shipped in heaps and heaps of them… now they’re everywhere in swarms. Did you know that exterminators can’t spray for ladybugs? It seems that since they are “non-woodboring” and “non-something else I can’t remember” you can’t hunt them down with bug juice.
Thanks, Pennsylvania, thanks.
Comment by Bre — April 12, 2006 @ 3:27 pm
Interesting blog. You didn’t mention a thing about butterflies though…the only reason they’re not more coddled than ladybugs is because they’re too shy (and maybe too smart?) to crawl all over our hands without some serious coaxing! However, I’m pretty sure they get way more verbal attention, which is a form of coddling. So does this mean you’re gonna declare war on butterflies too?
P.S.~One of the reasons ladybugs get respect is that they help humans as well as irritating them.
Comment by Lady Me — April 12, 2006 @ 3:41 pm
No.. You will never get me to stop coddling ladybugs! They’re cuuute!
Comment by C(h)ristine — April 12, 2006 @ 4:29 pm
Lady Me - Butterflies, huh? Well, butterflies are like insects that were once ugly and then get plastic surgery (i.e. cocoon) and look beautiful. But they know where they’ve come from. Ladybugs? Take it totally for granted.
C(h) - You think that, but you’re wrong.
Comment by Pauly D — April 12, 2006 @ 7:54 pm
Have YOU ever had the nerve to bring your foot down over those red and black-polka-dotted shells? It’s like breaking pottery or dropping a glass. You feel guilty, guilty, guilty.
Ladybugs don’t bite. They don’t leave sticky webs everywhere. They don’t steal picnic food.
I find the prosecutor guilty.
Comment by Janet — April 12, 2006 @ 8:24 pm
Janet - I object. Please see Nelson v. Ladybug, ‘82.
Comment by Pauly D — April 12, 2006 @ 8:28 pm
Paul I want to thank you and Kevin for letting us do the GBBMC. I am having way too much fun.
Comment by mikey — April 12, 2006 @ 9:49 pm
My emotions are best expressed in haiku (as usual):
O’, harmless lady,
You don’t bite or sting or spin;
Eight legs are evil.
Thatisall.
Comment by JM — April 12, 2006 @ 10:16 pm
Here in Michigan, we’ve made a very interesting discovery - Ladybugs, it seems, are little red-winged creatures, whereas the MILLIONS of orange-winged ladybug-type creatures that have invaded my home year after year are actually Asian Beetles. No, they are not Lady Bug’s cute orange cousin and Yes, they bite. Repeatedly and Painfully.
Comment by Sara J. — April 13, 2006 @ 3:07 am
Mikey - It’s “our” pleasure. My pleasure, in fact. It’s been great to read everybody’s words.
JM - Exactly.
Sara J. - Winged creatures? Asian Beetles? I’m a little overwhelmed now.
Comment by Pauly D — April 13, 2006 @ 5:27 am
A ladybug landed on my finger right after I ate a cinnamon roll. It spent the next 15 minutes eating the sugary residue from around my fingernails. It tickled, and I loved it.
Comment by Adri — April 13, 2006 @ 9:18 am
Aren’t ladybugs really manbugs? Aren’t the “ladies” less decorated? Like sometimes you see a plain ladybug which is really the female of the species? Or am I getting my entymologies all confused? Or is it etymologies?! One is for bugs and one is for words and I should know since I’m a linguist but I’ve only had one cup of coffee and I can’t spell such complicated words.
In my defense, I never squash bugs and I always escort spiders outside. I lerve bugs and insects of all kinds. Even the ugly ones. So, do unto others and you would do unto ladybugs is my own version of the golden rule. At least in regards to bugs. So there!
Comment by Ms. Q — April 13, 2006 @ 11:31 am
ladybugs have mutated. they now bite me.
i don’t like that.
Comment by sass — April 13, 2006 @ 6:30 pm
I hate anything that crawls…well, except babies and ladybugs.
Comment by Jaana — April 13, 2006 @ 9:26 pm
Ladybugs, like worms and bees, are beneficial insects in the garden. That’s one of the main reasons why people love them.
Comment by Syd — April 14, 2006 @ 11:01 am
Unless my house is being infested, I rescue every bug that finds their way into my home (and into the clutches of my three cats), so I’m not guilty of any favoritism. But, I must admit, I love the ladybug. I do think they are cute, and since they are harmless to humans while helping us out by eating more hazardous insects, it makes them more affable.
I rule NOT that the ladybug should be less coddled, but that all insects should be more respected.
Comment by Eve — April 16, 2006 @ 7:41 am
i hate ladybugs! i am pretty much absolutly terrified of them! ever since i was little, when they would come around i would lock myself in my room, being that my room is the only one without them. i still do that to this day. yesterday it was a warm day after all this cold weather, being when i got home they were EVERYWHERE. i made the husband vaccuum them all up. but then more would just come in, so i went straight to my room. i dont know why anyone would want the little biting pests on them. EWW.
Comment by mantha — October 19, 2006 @ 8:46 am