Why Ladybugs Are Omens Of Luck In So Many Cultures

Let's be honest: Ultimately, ladybugs are "good luck" because of their utility to human life and endeavors. The global aphid population, on the other hand, probably regards ladybugs as their goddess of death. Aphids are ladybugs' preferred food, same as aphids suck the liquid from stems and leaves. Aphids leave plants yellowed, shriveled, discolored, chewed up, and in large enough quantities leave behind a sticky residue that attracts ants that make the situation worse. Aphids also transmit viruses to plants and ruin them entirely. As the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) explains, each generation lives only about a month, but an aphid can produce 40 to 85 more aphids during that time. As a result, aphids can impact overall crop yield and quality, which puts human food supplies at risk.

This is where ladybugs, which chow down on aphids by the hundreds, come in. Some gardeners directly introduce ladybugs into gardens to consume aphids, while others attract them with water and plants. Sites like Niagara Frontier Publications talk about the moral complexities of introducing ladybugs in such a "violent, militarized way of controlling nature," but we're pretty sure most farmers don't care. And since agriculture forms the shared foundation of every single society across the globe, it stands to reason that ladybugs are universally well-regarded and considered "lucky."

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