Ladybugs


 

 

Click HERE to open the image gallery. You might first want to read the following paragraphs to learn more about lady bugs.


Ladybugs (Coccinellidae) are a beneficial predatory beetle fond (in the sense of liking to eat them) of aphids and other garden pests. Where we live they winter-over beneath fallen leaves in the yard and garden. When the weather warms in spring they emerge in astonishing numbers when you begin raking the lawn and flower-beds.  You can learn more about them here and many other places on the Web.

An amusing aspect of their behavior is a total lack of planning when it comes to air travel. When the mood strikes them they simply open the shell on their backs, unpack their wings and take-off in a random direction, pursuing a very erratic course at full throttle. The only way they seem to have of coming to a stop is by crashing at top speed into something solid whereupon they fall to the ground on their backs. This requires a frantic struggle to get upright and, upon succeeding, they immediately resume their lives as if nothing had happened. They are exceeded only by the sorts of adventure movie characters played by Bruce Willis in their ability to survive blunt trauma.

All pictures taken with Nikon D300, Micro-Nikkor 105 mm VR, internal flash and Nikon SB-800 remote flash. Processing by Silkypix.