Variable Ladybird

Description:

Coelophora inaequalis (Fabricius, 1775). I came across these interesting folkloric stories in wiki.nus.edu.sg. "Ladybirds are named after a particular Lady, one we know as the Virgin Mary. Supposedly the name arose due to the red cloak the Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing in biblical paintings, similar to the red elytra (or hardened forewings) in the beetles. Another story would be that in the Middle Ages, farmers were suffering from pest insects that ravaged their crops. After praying, help arrived in the form of these beetles, which the farmers referred to as 'Our Lady's beetles'."

Habitat:

This very small juvenile Ladybird was spotted in our back yard this morning, sitting on the uppermost leaves of a vine.