Seven Spotted Ladybug

Description:

Rounded beetle with bright red wing cases having 7 black spots, although some individuals may have more or fewer spots. The thorax is black with patches of pale yellow at the front corners. The larvae are blackish in colour and are active predators of aphids.

Habitat:

Wildlife habitat yard on Belton Lake.

Notes:

Legend has it that crops in Europe during the Middle Ages were plagued by pests, so the farmers began praying to the Blessed Lady, the Virgin Mary. Soon, the farmers started seeing ladybugs in their fields, and the crops were miraculously saved from the pests. They associated their good fortune with the black and red beetles, and so began calling them lady beetles. In Germany, these insects go by the name Marienkafer, which means Mary beetles. The 7-spotted lady beetle is believed to be the first named for the Virgin Mary; the red color represents her cloak, and the black spots represent her sorrows.