The Invasion Has Begun

The Invasion Has Begun

It’s here. They are everywhere. No home is immune. No place is safe. 

I’m not talking Russia and Ukraine – plenty of places are on that. I’m not talking America’s southern border. Doesn’t seem like that gets much news these days anyway. I’m talking my office – my place of daytime investment  – my home away from home (albeit only about 120 yards away from home.)

The location – my office. The invasion – Ladybugs.  Dead, alive, crawling in the light fixtures, dead around the window seals, on the walls, on the floor, everywhere.

Back Story …

There are about 5000 different species on ladybugs in the world and are known by several names and have different patterns and colors. The most familiar in America are the red-black with se en spots. I haven’t looked close enough at my swan to count spots.

Some cultures consider them sign of good fortune. They are omnivores and I think if I fell asleep at my desk, they would eat me. They do eat other bugs. It is said that one ladybug can eat up to 5,000 insects in its 2 to 3 year lifetime. That’s one big meal!

When threatened, the secret an oily fluid that smells rank. I try not to threaten them. I even grew lavenders in my office for a while so they you’d enjoy  that.

They become an adult within a week or two from pupa stage – no nasty teen years for them. And they are all female – and I’m not sure what to say about that.

They hibernate in the winter and a colony can have thousand of ladybugs. And Spring starts next week.

Their name came from a praying farmer. Well, to be honest, all farmers I know pray. So, their name came from a farmer. When insects were eating his crops, he released the bug on the filed and prayed to the Virgin Mary. He named them beetles of Our Lady” which was shortened later to ladybug (one word, no gap).

Lesson of the Story …

They really aren’t a threat. They do good stuff. The world may look at Christians and see a threat. They may want to get rid of the church, and we may seem like an invasion at times. But if we do what we are supposed to do, the world will see good too. 

Maybe we as God’s people can be a good invasion in a culture that just doesn’t understand.