One of my students asked me the other day why there are so many bodybags around these days. Bodybags? I asked.  She knew the word wasn’t correct, and tried to find the right one. Bodybags. No… bodybugs. Badybugs?

Ohhhh… ladybugs! I love when new vocabulary comes up like that. English learners think that ladybugs is such a cute name. It is, isn’t it! Cute insects deserve nice names…

So why are there so many around this season? I haven’t been able to find the answer online, though someone said, “If you’re near farming country…the Asian ladybugs were brought in to help farmers with aphid control.” Upon further research, it seems that’s true. Ladybugs native to Ontario are small and bright red. The ones in varying shades of orange (like in the pictures here) were imported from Asia and have been used as a natural pest control for several decades in North American agricultural industries.

Somebody else said,

This is obviously some sort of well thought out invasion from Mars. They are working with the lady bugs in some sort of well planned tactical nuclear strike that we will blame on Russia – sending the world into World War III causing a maple syrup shortage.

Well then.

Mehmet told me that in Turkey there is a superstition related to ladybugs. If you extend your fingers and the ladybug crawls to the tip, make a wish! If the bug flies off from the tip of your finger, your wish will come true.

Neither Mehmet nor I are superstitious at all, but oh well. I made my wish.

C’mon Mr. Ladybug! Fly away… fly! (I wonder how the males feel about being called a Ladybug.)

Go ladybug, fly… fly…

Yes!!

My wish will come true!

No winter!