Ladybug Day

Today the Ladybugs hatched here. Thousands, maybe millions, of them flying in huge swarms in the sunny patches in our forest. I love Ladybugs and I anxiously watch each spring for the day they will hatch. It's never on the same day every year. I guess it depends on the weather. I like to go out and let them land on me. They're very polite; I've never had more than ten at a time land on me. I also hurry to give the plants in my garden a shower with the hose so the Ladybugs will be drawn to my plants instead of the creek or lake. I've read that they're very thirsty after they hatch, so if the plants in your garden have water on them the Ladybugs will stay around, instead of flying off in search of water. I made particularly sure that my poor, struggling rose bushes were drenched so the Ladybugs could not only get a drink but eat the dratted aphids that are attacking the tender, new shoots the roses are putting out. Poor roses; they don't get as much sun as they should, and are a little spindly, but they bloom valiantly all summer long, especially the Fairy Rose. I wonder if the Ladybugs tell each other about the "all you can eat and drink free bar and buffet" in my garden and what kind of directions would they use? Maybe something like, "Fly past the purple lilacs until you come to the first white one, then take a sharp left. When you come to the pink lilac, take a sharp right, fly past the group of cedar trees, turn left by the big holly bush, and there you are!"