Ladybug, Ladybug

The ladybugs are swarming again today.

Hundreds of them. I mean, the air is thick with them. This usually tells me summer is definitely at an end when you see them all looking for somewhere to spend the winter, safe and warm.

They’ve been swarming for the last two weeks. They’ve also been providing a bonanza feast for all sorts of other animals and birds. The morning after we had our first rainfall in almost 3 month, which lasted all of about 6-8 hours, the birds and squirrels were our mowing the lawn. At least, when I opened the curtains and looked out, that’s what they seemed to be doing.

Three squirrels, 20+ sparrows (it was impossible to have accurate numbers they moved so quickly) plus six plump pigeons and two very noisy crows who kept bullying the other birds.

Each group methodically moving over the damp grass feeding on … what?

And then it dawned on me. Downed ladybugs. It had to be.

I’m guessing the rain had drowned many of them, meaning the band of grass between my apartment and the privacy hedge was littered with dead or dying ladybugs. The sparrows are out there again, this morning, doing aerial ballet, trying to snatch a snack midair. It’s enthralling to watch. Like live TV without the ads or inane voiceovers.

In death there is still life.