Chrysti The Wordsmith: Lady Bug

Hi I'm Christie Smith Christie the wordsmith from Montana State University in Bozeman. Beneath the brightly spotted wing case of the little ladybug is a voracious predator both larval and adult ladybugs dine exclusively on aphids through ups and other agricultural pests gardeners and orchard growers often order ladybugs by the gallon releasing them on crops as natural agents of biological pest control ladybugs are found on almost every continent. Most species are conspicuously marked with bright yellow or red wing cases which are mottled with black spots varying in both number and shape. In the Western world these beneficial insects have long been regarded with affection. The British called them Lady Birds or Lady Bird beetles. Even Shakespeare used the moniker Lady Bird as a term of endearment synonymous with sweetheart or darling. The Lady Bird or Lady Bug was so named not because every specimen is female but in tribute to our lady the Virgin Mary since the middle ages the insect has

been associated with the mother of Christ. The Oxford English dictionary suggests the relationship derives from the seven spots on the wing case of a European species which are said to symbolize the seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary. The ladybugs Spanish name is Mahdi Keita or the little Mary. And in German it's ma and K. for or the Mary Beadle. I'm Christie the wordsmith. Good day for divorce Christie the wordsmith is sponsored by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Zoot enterprises a high tech firm in Bozeman Montana offering challenging careers and innovative solutions for the financial services industry. Zoot web dot com.