Ladybugs are Good Luck!

Did you know ladybugs are a good luck sign?

I saw a ladybug today while I was cooking. Although it is winter and it probably should not be in the kitchen, I smiled with delight. It's a sign of good luck! I said hello and thank you, and gently moved the little critter to a houseplant.

It got me thinking of all the symbolism and folklore about ladybugs. Many cultures believe that ladybugs are a sign of good luck. In fact, the connection between these spotted creatures and good fortune dates back centuries and cultures from Europe and Asia to Slavic, Central America, and Native American tribes. Legends and symbols of ladybugs span the globe.

Lucky Myths Surrounding Ladybugs

There are a few specific myths associated with ladybugs and luck. Here are some of the most common tales from around the world.

• If a ladybug lands on you, that’s very lucky. In some cultures it is believed that whatever the ladybug touches will be improved. Some say if a ladybug lands on you, you’ll have as many years of good luck as the bug does spots (so hope for a particularly polka-dotted one!).

• If you see a ladybug that means good weather is near or that a person will soon have luck with love or money.

• Make a Wish: If you do get a hold of a ladybug make a wish. Whatever direction it flies away is where good luck will come from.

• Love: Some folk tales say that when a ladybug comes to call, true love will follow soon after. Norway folklore states that if a man and woman see a ladybug at the same time they will fall in love.

• Fertility: Ladybugs are also linked to fertility and rebirth. Another possible ladybug meaning is that one’s family will soon expand.

• Good fortune: Many belive that seeing a live ladybug means fruition and abundance are coming your way. (Like the opposite of a black cat crossing your path.)

• Ladybugs serve as colorful symbols of positive change and renewal.

• Well Being: Ladybugs can be seen as a sign of fertility and good health. Gardeners know that Ladybugs are beneficial because they eat pests that harm crops and gardens. In the garden they are evidence of a healthy ecosystem. So it is not a far stretch that observing one can be taken as a sign of well being. Plus they are so cute they make you smile, which is good for your health!

• Our Lady: In Catholicism, ladybugs are connected to the Virgin Mary, who is also sometimes called "Our Lady". It is believed this is how ladybugs came to have their name. As legend has it the Virgin Mary sent ladybugs to protect crops so that people would have ample food. 

• Killing a ladybug: Some believe that killing a ladybug will curse you with bad luck.

Counting Spots

• Some believe that if a ladybug lands on you, you should count the number of spots to predict how many years of good luck you’ll have.

• Many think the spots indicate the number of months until your greatest wish comes true.

• Ladybugs with seven or less spots are said to be a sign of a good harvest.

• Some say that the redder the ladybug, the better your luck will be.

Jewelry

Wearing a ladybug amulet: It is believed that wearing a ladybug amulet can bring you good luck. Talismans of ladybugs have been made for centuries. A good reason to don that beautiful ladybug jewelry!

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Whether you believe in myths or not, it can’t be disputed that ladybugs have become a symbol for good fortune.

What would be the source of this long-standing legend of ladybugs and luck? Likely, it was farmers! Ladybugs dine on pests and leave good bugs and plants alone. They are voracious eaters and love the soft-bodied problem insects that plague crops and gardens. So you can see why famers would want to protect these little crop-defenders. Many gardeners use them for pest management, specifically mealybug and aphid control. Using ladybugs allows us to keep the plants healthy without using harmful pesticides. So it’s no surprise that ladybugs are cherished by so many cultures – we certainly appreciate them in our garden.