Lucky Ladybug

Spring is here and I am so happy! You would be too if you had just spent the last several months hibernating with thousands of your relatives. No snooze button for me! I have places to go and flowers to see. And it is so nice to be able to stretch my legs and wings again without bumping into anyone. Would you and your pet care to join me for a bite to eat? I know this amazing, little rose bush right around the corner.

Hi! You found me! Of course I’m pretty hard to miss with my brilliant, spotted back…and my propensity for hanging out on bright flowers. My outer shell may be a warning to stay away, but I’m really a very friendly little insect when you take the time to get to know me. Would your pet mind if I sit on their shoulder for a bit? I hear that is very good luck for pets. I am especially lucky for those who farm or garden. My family and I will work hard to keep plants free from harmful pests so they can grow big and strong.

You spotted me again! Get it? Spotted? It is a glorious day to be out and about in the garden. I just came from a beautiful patch of dandelions. Now I am headed over to a lemon tree that I heard need a little pest control. After that, if your pet is still nearby, I propose an exciting game of hide and seek. I must warn you though, even with this shiny shell, I am quite adept at hiding!

Your pet becomes an expert at finding its own food!

Many species of butterflies that migrate thousands of miles south in the fall do not return to their previous summer residences. One autumn a few clever butterflies devised a plan to make the long trip back home so they could be reunited with their friends again next year. The butterflies stitched a map of each leg of the journey, updating it whenever they stopped at a rest stop. A single strand of silk from their silkworm cousins kept the map securely attached to their abdomens.

After a long winter in sunny Mexico the butterflies studied the map carefully, took a big sip of nectar from their favorite flower, and off they went. Imagine the surprise of all their friends back home when they returned the following summer! The garden was abuzz with tales of their amazing journey. The butterflies’ stories were so inspirational that they all decided they wanted to experience that kind of epic road trip for themselves. Year after year, they planned destinations further and further away so they could challenge each other to set a new long-distance record.

Favorite food:

Kiwi Fruit

See below for your free foods!