Coccinella septempunctata or otherwise known as Beatrix

Just a little over a week ago, I noticed a lady bug in my bathroom when I was getting ready for work. I don't consider ladybugs lucky. Generally, I avoid touching insects unless my hand is engulfed within a cocoon of tissue paper. Since I was in a rush, I left the ladybug alone and didn't give it another thought. The next day I saw that it had crawled onto my bathroom window sill. The following day the ladybug was almost washed down my bathroom sink when I turned on the faucet. I turned off the water quickly but it had disappeared down the drain. However, to my surprise the ladybug crept from the drain and started its trek up the sink wall. It was then that I named it Beatrix. I was told that I should place Beatrix outside so it could feed on insects. I thought ladybugs liked to eat plants so Beatrix was relocated to my spider plant. I guess she wasn't happy with her new home since she was last seen crawling across my kitchen counter. I decided to read up on the Coccinella septempunctata.

Things I didn't know:

• The ladybug is the state insect of Massachusetts.
• It has a life cycle of about 4-7 weeks.
• It belongs to the Coccinellidae family and is actually a beetle.
• They are predators of aphids or plant lice.
• Its name comes from Latin coccineus, referring to the color scarlet.

I plan on placing Beatrix outside tomorrow. The idea of larvae hatching in my apartment makes me a bit queasy. Beatrix may very well be in a state of reproductive diapause (which would be a really good name for a band) during which eggs are not produced. Basically, reproductive diapause is sexual hibernation or a copulation vacation. No wonder she found her way to my home!