The well-known children's rhyme which begins “ladybug, ladybug, fly away home, your house is on fire and your children are alone” is said to have evolved from the practice of burning crops at the end of the season. Supposedly, farmers would sing to warn the ladybugs to fly away, leaving harmful insect pests behind to be burned in the flames.

In some Christian societies, especially in Europe, the ladybug is linked with the Virgin Mary, also known as Our Lady to devout Catholics. According to legend, the spots on the ladybug's back symbolize the Seven Sorrows of Mary, and ladybugs were sent by the Virgin to protect crops. This explains the origins of the name “ladybug.” Ladybugs are also known as “lady beetles ,” or “ladybirds,” other references to the Virgin. Many other animals and plants are associated with the Virgin Mary, so she must be a busy lady!

One of the most common superstitions about ladybugs is the idea that killing a ladybug will bring down bad luck. This would support the idea that ladybug superstitions evolved as a form of protection for the ladybug population, ensuring that the insects could travel unmolested. Many cultures also link the sight of a ladybug with future luck in love, good weather, a financial windfall, or the granting of wishes. Having a ladybug land on you is supposedly to be particularly lucky in some cultures, and some people believe that when a ladybug lands on an object, that object will be replaced by a new and improved version.

The most likely explanation for the general view that ladybugs are lucky is their dietary habits. Ladybugs eat harmful crop pests, so the appearance of ladybugs would have been welcomed by farmers and gardeners. In agricultural societies, it would have made sense to venerate a beneficial insect, encouraging people to leave ladybugs alone so that they could consume pests such as aphids . The appearance of a ladybug would also have been viewed as a blessing, which explains the positive associations with ladybugs in many cultures.

Many cultures view ladybugs as lucky, and a great deal of superstition surrounds these small and stylishly outfitted insects. As often happens with superstition, it is actually a bit difficult to determine why ladybugs came to be viewed as lucky. One interesting thing about ladybug superstitions is that these superstitions are so universal: usually, superstitions about living things are quite varied, with different cultures attaching different meanings to everything ranging from black cats to mirrors.

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a wiseGEEK researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Discussion Comments

anon986231 January 23, 2015 I've had a rather miserable time for a very long time. I've had ladybugs come through my window, which is slightly ajar. One came in yesterday and a new one today. My situation hasn't improved. I don't think mine are messages from God. It's just very cold outside and they prefer the warmth of my room. It is mid Winter and to be honest I'm surprised there are any ladybugs about!

anon938013 March 7, 2014 I found the comments interesting. A ladybird did land on my right hand while I was eat my dinner a few months ago, and I'm thinking it did bring me good luck. I had volunteered at factory for a few months and I am hopeful I might get a paid job.

anon928748 January 29, 2014 I was extremely lonely for a long time when I unexpectedly found a ladybug in the garage early last February (2013). Two or three nights later, I met the man who is now my boyfriend. Then last October my nephew called me into the living room to identify whether he'd found a ladybug (it was). I let it crawl on me a little and then I set it on the kitchen counter where it was safe. A few nights later, my boyfriend and I said "I love you" to each other. We're still together.

anon355841 November 19, 2013 Last Wednesday at 7:33 p.m., my brother-in-law passed. While we were waiting in the room at the cancer hospice house for the funeral home to pick up his body, a ladybug landed on me. Note; we had been up there for days and never encountered a ladybug or any bug, for that matter. My wife immediately begin to cheer up. I'm almost in tears just reliving the moment. It was a very tough time for us because we had been taking care of him and saw his suffering but particularly tough for her because she lost her big brother who was just 14 months her elder. Two years ago, almost to the day and time, she lost her mother. So this was like pulling the scab off of a healing wound. Fast forward. Today was my wife's first day back to work and while briefly sitting at her desk, which rarely happens, another ladybug landed on her desk. Again, she said joy filled her heart. I'm convinced if God's eyes is on every little sparrow and ladybug, I know he's looking over us! Happy ladybug to you!

anon324740 March 12, 2013 We have windows in three different rooms infested with ladybugs. Our family is going through a rough patch, stressed and arguing, in a new town, in a temporary much too small dingy apartment, looking for a decent neighborhood and house to settle into, but feeling pretty miserable and dejected, not sure we'll ever find what we want here. So I hope this is a good sign as some of the other posts read. Ladybugs have always followed me here and there, but I usually only encounter one at a time. This is the first time I've encountered so many, and also this is a pretty bad patch of my life I'm sure I will always remember. But I know this too shall pass. God bless you all.

anon305521 November 26, 2012 I came home one evening last week to an infestation of lady bugs at my front door. As I entered, so did they. There are too many to count. Since I live in an RV as we are building a house, I believe there may be some truth to the article's input of "... and some people believe that when a ladybug lands on an object, that object will be replaced by a new and improved version." They are crawling on walls, ceilings, and everything in our RV. Two mated on my ceiling. I believe it is a sign from my spirit guide telling me my depressing reality will change soon. After all, it is what I pray and ask for the most.

anon304651 November 20, 2012 One day I took my little sister to her high school for a car wash fundraiser and as I was waiting for my car to be washed, a ladybug flew on my shoulder. My mom always told me they brought luck. Later that evening, we went to a football game and another ladybug flew on me and when the man brought it to my attention, I said wow that was the second one today, so he said, "Really? Give me 3 numbers." So I laughed and told him three numbers jokingly and it just so happened those numbers came out for the pick three that same day. All I could think was, "Wow. I should have played the lottery. So now I just moved into a new home and just gave birth to a new baby girl and I have ladybugs in my kitchen and in my new baby's room. This is amazing and I definitely look at this as God sending his love and blessings to watch over me, my baby and my home!

anon297931 October 17, 2012 I have five of them in my living room. When I awoke this morning, they were all on the ceiling and walls around my bed, and when I got out of the shower they were back in the living room by the window. This is so cool. I love my new pets.

anon294990 October 4, 2012 A few weeks ago, I was biking down the street near my house when all of a sudden I noticed a ladybug land on my shirt. St this time of the year lady bugs are not very common around. so I found it quite interesting. I then gently let the ladybug crawl onto my finger and dropped it on a long fence beside a bicycle path, only to realize there was another lady bug sitting right where I had laid the one on my finger. The one that flew on me automatically went on the other ladybug and they started mating. I found that magical and amazing. It was at a moment of my life where I was very doubtful about my own spirituality and it kind of put things back in perspective for me.

anon294412 October 1, 2012 When my wife and I got married, we were taking our pictures outside our home, and ladybugs swarmed us like we were golden food. It was incredible. Now my wife and I are going through a rough patch where she has moved out and I am moving to a different city, but at our first counseling meeting we were talking outside their building afterwards and a lone ladybug landed on her purse. Weird. Last night, she came over to get some of her stuff from the house and as I was waiting for her to show up and I went outside for three seconds to throw away something and I come back inside to find a ladybug on my left hand. At that point I made the decision that when she came over, I was not going to argue with her. I was going to enjoy every moment with her and cherish what little time we have together anymore. We had a good time and we watched the newest muppet movie and it was like narrating our lives and what we are going through and all this happened the way it did because of that little ladybug giving me that feeling that everything is going to be all right. If you read this, please see the message for what it means: even if things are going bad, a greater power is trying to tell you one thing, that everything is going to be all right. You just have to open your eyes to it. Please pray for our love to return

anon243312 January 27, 2012 Ladybugs are mating all over my weedplants.

anon241908 January 21, 2012 Ladybugs are unique and definitely good to have around.

knix13 January 12, 2012 I was sitting outside in my back yard. When I saw a ladybug, she flew up and landed on me. I then noticed two more; they kept fluttering around me. I do believe that they are synchronised with Angels. I had just talked to my Angels earlier that day, about a job I had applied for a few days before. As I walked back in to my house, my phone rang. It was the owner of the place I had applied to work. He gave me the job. I have always believed that ladybugs were good luck. I have always loved to see them, when I do they always put a smile on my face, and make me feel at peace within my self. Thank God for the beautiful gift of Ladybugs. Truly a God sent gift.

anon234836 December 14, 2011 A ladybug is on my ceiling every night. I came home and just as I was pulling up this article, I saw one crawling on the computer table. I don't really feel lucky though. I feel blessed!

anon175498 May 12, 2011 I believe ladybugs are god sent. I always feel peace when I see one and feel that they are bringing a message from god. Depending what I am going through, either "don't worry, everything will be OK", or just a simple "I love you" from god.

anon167572 April 13, 2011 I live in Florida and ladybugs are so few. Whenever I find one it just makes me smile and I know something good is going to happen. I do believe they bring luck. So please, never kill a ladybug. Such tiny, beautiful perfection. Let her fly away and bring luck to someone else on her next adventure.

anon133876 December 12, 2010 Ladybugs in your home indicates a hole in the exterior.

anon111192 September 15, 2010 One month ago i saw a ladybug at the back of my shirt. I did not kill it. i have returned it to nature where it belongs.

anon107858 4 hours ago Today when I came home there were four lady bugs in my room. i thought it was crazy. a few minutes later i walked back into my room and there were five! What does this mean?

anon104153 August 15, 2010 I was watching Great Expectations and there was a scene where the boy in the movie sat in the old lady's garden, then all of sudden the ladybug landed on his hand then flew away. All of sudden, in the middle of the movie, I felt something on my hand. I knew it was a bug but I couldn't quite see what it was because I had turned all the lights off. I moved closer to the tv to see what bug it was. It was ladybug. Wow! My bedroom windows and doors were closed and the light was off. I felt lucky somehow and then curious of what does that mean. Probably just a coincidence but it was pretty cool.

anon103963 August 14, 2010 I have ladybugs that visit me every day outside where I sit and read my bible. They flutter around and some even land on my foot and hands at times they will come and sit beside my feet. I can even pick them up and hold them and they will flutter away and them come straight back to me. When I'm inside i will pass by the window and look out only to see the same color butterfly that always comes around sitting in the same spot where i sit outside all hours through the day. They flutter in front of the window when i am inside. I can even go inside stores or everywhere I go seems as if every thing i look at seems to have a butterfly on it: people's clothing, pictures, designs on toys, dishes etc. I don't know exactly why. I only know God is showing me that he is forever present and with me always even in his beautiful things that he has created. We just all need to slow down an know that he is forever present in our lives and give him the praise! We rush through our busy lives and never seem to have time to give a thought at times. I think that's just his way of saying here i am. He loves when we just take a step back at look up and thank him even, if it is to appreciate the beauty he surrounds us with. No one can look at a butterfly without pausing to stop and think just how awesome they are and how God transformed it from something not so pretty to something beautiful and wonderfully made. He can do that with us, if we will surrender our lives to him and just let him!

anon96953 July 17, 2010 I had a lady bug in my room last night. I left it alone and it is downstairs on my blinds now. It makes me happy to see it, very pretty. I am a lucky person!

anon92354 June 27, 2010 I recently noticed a ladybug hanging out rather peacefully on one of the curtain sheers in my living room this morning, but I didn't disturb it. Had it been another bug, my non-holistic side would have done away with it. It's now 10:36 PM EDT, and it's hanging out on the wall directly behind me. It'll have to die of natural causes because I'm not going to disturb it. Having a good luck symbol like this in my home, since this is also where I work, is an excellent thing!

anon76111 April 9, 2010 I believe ladybugs are in synchrony with the angels. They are our gift from God, symbolic of his magnificent presence. Always be sure to count your ladybugs a true blessing.

anon75927 April 8, 2010 Ladybugs follow me everywhere, until recently. I reconciled with an old teacher of mine a few days ago. Her nickname is "Ladybug". Some kind of connection there. Interesting, no?

anon70936 March 16, 2010 No lie, a few years ago a ladybug landed on me in a Vegas parking lot. later that night I won 450 dollars on the quarter machine. Take it for what it's worth. Haven't won that much money since.

anon69988 March 11, 2010 So what does it mean when a ladybug lands on you twice in one day, within the same hour? Happened to me yesterday.

anon66418 February 19, 2010 I have a small infestation of lady bugs in my apartment bedroom. My roommate told me that I should play the lottery. Maybe?

anon61152 January 18, 2010 I had a lady bug land on my desk at work. I told two coworkers and they both told me that it was good luck. I took the lady bug outside and put it on a plant. If the ladybug had landed on the desk next to mine it would have lost its life. That person hates every bug in the world. About and hour later I lost my job. I do not feel so lucky. A year later and almost homeless I could really use some good luck!

millhouse November 6, 2009 I think ladybugs became lucky symbols because they were not that common. Like the four leaf clover, lucky symbols are identified as such because they are not that prevalent.

Post your comments