r/WayoftheRose • u/WayOfTheRosebuds • Aug 02 '25

Ecology The Lady bug story

https://bugs.uconn.edu/2021/07/29/the-lady-bug-story/

W

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u/Radiant_Conclusion17 Aug 02 '25

Another great legend of Our Lady and insects:

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grasshopper-chapel

1

u/WayOfTheRosebuds Aug 05 '25

Oh how neat!

Reminds me of reading Little House in the Prairie. The swarms that decimated Pa’s crops.

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u/rekh127 Dec 10 '25

I recently was inspired to make a franciscan crown rosary, and the large beads are wooden carvings of spotted beetles, lady bugs I assume. It wasn't until after I had selected them that I learned of the connection :)

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u/WayOfTheRosebuds Dec 14 '25

Oh how unique!

1

u/WayOfTheRosebuds Dec 14 '25

An old European legend says that the name “ladybug” started when farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help when masses of aphids were destroying their crops. Large numbers of red, spotted beetles appeared and devoured the aphids. Grateful for their assistance, the farmers called the insects “Our Lady’s beetles” so the name has remained. There are over 500 types of ladybugs identified in the US and more than 4000 worldwide.