Ladybird?

     What is a Ladybird?  It's not a lady or a bird.  Rather, it's a name for a pretty insect we see each spring-- a ladybug.

     In the fall, when the weather starts to cool, groups of ladybugs find a hollow area in a tree and snuggle together for the winter.  After hibernating together all winter, the ladybugs emerge into the warm spring air. 

     During the spring and summer months, ladybugs feed on insects called aphids.  They can eat up to fifty aphids a day.  Aphid damage farmer's crops and other plant life.  Therefore, ladybugs are important to the environment and to us.

     Because of the ladybug's bright color and small size, many birds try to eat them.  But don't be fooled by their appearance.  Ladybugs are smart, and they can perceive other animals as predators.  To defend themselves, ladybugs flip over on their backs and secrete a smelly liquid from their legs.  This smell startles and scares away predators, therefore, protecting the ladybug.

      You may think ladybugs are lucky to be able to scare away large predators.  Whether ladybugs are lucky or not, many people believe that seeing a ladybug means happy times are on the way.