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Ladybird (46)
Hil
![Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 705 W: 13 N: 1405]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-s-g.gif) (5027) | Ladybugs
I think my garden is being taken over by Ladybirds there are masses of them, though I would try to take a few shots, need a macro lens really but I liked the colours in this shot.
Ladybirds in our Culture
Coccinellids are and have for very many years been favourite insects of children. The insects had many regional names (now mostly disused) such as the lady-cow, may-bug, golden-knop, golden-bugs (Suffolk); and variations on Bishop-Barnaby (Barney, Burney) Barnabee, Burnabee, and the Bishop-that-burneth.
The name which the insect bears in the various languages of Europe is clearly mythic. In this, as in other cases, the Virgin Mary has supplanted Freyja, the fertility goddess of Norse mythology; so that Freyjuhaena and Frouehenge have been changed into Marienvoglein, which corresponds with Our Lady's Bird. There can, therefore, be little doubt that the esteem with which the lady-bird, or Our Lady's cow, is still regarded and is a relic of ancient beliefs. In parts of Northern Europe, tradition says that one's wish granted if a ladybird lands on oneself. In Italy, it is said by some that if a ladybird flies into one's bedroom, it is considered good luck. In central Europe, a ladybird crawling across a girl's hand is thought to mean she will get married within the year. In Russia, a ladybird is called Божья-Коровка (God's cow) and a popular children's rhyme exists with a call to fly to the sky and bring back bread. Similarly, in Denmark a ladybird, called a mariehøne (Mary's hen), is asked by children to fly to 'our lord in heaven and ask for fairer weather in the morning'. In Irish, the insect is called "bóín Dé" - or "God's little cow".
In some cultures they are referred to as lucky bugs (Turkish: uğur böceği). In Greece, ladybugs are called πασχαλίτσα (paschalitsa), because they are found abundantly in Eastertime along with paschalia, the Common Lilac plant, which flowers at the same time.
Grape Hyacinths
Grape Hyacinths are a group of plants in the genus Muscari of plants native to Eurasia that produce spikes of blue flowers resembling bunches of grapes. There are about forty species.
Some species are among the earliest to bloom in the spring, and are planted both in flower beds as well as in lawns. They are planted as bulbs and tend to multiply quickly when planted in good soils.
Muscari comosum bulbs are pickled and eaten in Greece under the name βολβοί ([vol'vi] lit. 'bulbs') and in the Puglia region of Italy, under the names "lampascioni", "lampasciuni", "lamponi".
Notes form Wilkipedia.com |
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