Why We Need a Puppy, Or Why My Children Will Need Therapy

Last winter, we became caretakers to a spider living on our porch.

This winter, I have captured–I mean, rescued–a dozen ladybugs and put them into a screened-in butterfly habitat.

To say I am obsessed with the ladybugs may be a tad understated. Every morning, I mist their leafy world and wet a piece of paper towel. Daily, I replace their hunks of apple or pear or pieces of raisins. I even move them to sit on the stove under the warm lights so I can watch them run around in the heat.

(the giant ladybug on top is not real; I thought it would make them feel at home)


For a few weeks, all was fine with our new pets. And then, a couple of nights ago, we settled down to a dinner of Dirty Rice, a name which seems pretty apt given what happened next: my oldest, Belly, was about to take a big mouthful when she screamed, “There is a ladybug in my rice!”. We all gasped and looked and, sure enough, there was a ladybug nestled there in the brown-colored rice.

I grabbed her plate and apologized to the poor ladybug. I cooked a pet! But, as I carefully removed it from her dinner, the little critter started running on my hand. Not cooked! Just enjoying a little Cajun cooking! Phew!

I returned the ladybug to her (his) home and decided to keep them away from dinner prep in the future.

Do you think they are planning a jailbreak?

Comments

  1. suburbancorrespondent says

    Oh, boy, that would have sent my vegetarian over the edge.

  2. Glad he didn’t get cooked. I can’t say the bugs in our soup the other night were as lucky. My husband made a batch of soup (a LARGE clean out the refrigerator of everything you own batch). It looked and smelled great, but when we sat down to eat we discovered that one of the ingredients had apparently brought along a whole crew of friends. Ewwww! Whole thing went straight into the garbage.

  3. Blog Antagonist says

    UGH. Sorry, I can’t be as warm fuzzy about them as you are. Around here, they are a nuisance this time of year and they are swarming terribly. I don’t know how they get in, but they are everywhere. I am thoroughly sick of finding their polka dotted carcasses all over my house and I am sick of being dive bombed constantly. Did you know that they smell bad when they swarm? Shudder.

  4. We’ve had ladybugs in the bathroom, causing Moe to SCREAM bloody murder if any go near her while she’s in there.

    Bugs are resilient. Just last week, I thought I froze a bag of crickets, but a few minutes on heat and they revived.

  5. You are a true homeschooler! Saving ladybugs and observing them. There sure have been a-lot of them this winter.

  6. Life As I Know It says

    Aw, I love ladybugs.

    You definitely need a puppy, though 😉

  7. Ladybugs – that’s our nursery theme for the little one to be.

  8. Well I suppose if you DO get a puppy (or a kitten) you can add a tick or a flea to the tiny habitat (or the menu).

  9. theotherbear says

    I always knew as a kid (no idea where I heard this) that if a ladybug crawls onto your thumb nail you can make a wish. Actually, I still believe it. 🙂

  10. Be Inspired Always says

    My son is actually allergic to ladybugs. I never heard of that before.

    Jillian

  11. Mrs. Chicky says

    Can I call you “bug lady”? 😉

  12. Bluuuuurrrgh.

    That’s why I squish those suckers…fknpg

  13. Wendy Hawksley says

    I was always big on rescuing critters when I was little. Well, I still am…

    In our kitchen, we have a Window Spider. The one last year died (her name was Martha). This is a new one. His name is Emeril.

  14. Mary Alice says

    I had always loved lady bugs….until we lived in the upper midwest…where they swarm each October AND bite. Oww, such tiny little things and they hurt.

  15. Lynne's Somewhat Invented Life says

    What a wonderfully magical life you live–to have ladybugs live among you.

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