We went to check on the ladybugs by the creek.
They’ve spent the winter clinging to these bushes… sometimes they fall to the ground and stay in a thick mat all packed deeply.
They are like red jewels moving slowly and dripping from the leaves to the moist cool earth.
They have to move to regulate their temperatures, they move in and out of the sun which just this week started peeking into the canyon. They are starting to awaken from their dormancy.
I suppose they don’t want to leave too early though… they have a secluded safe spot here in which to rest through the winter…. once they become active they will need to eat. In the great scheme of life, they probably time their dispersion with the hatching of aphids. This will give them some food while they start their own egg-laying. The youngsters will hatch amid a plethora of food. Thousands of ladybugs will spread for ‘who-knows-how-far’ from this one tiny little spot in the middle of nowhere.
Here’s a little video I took showing the ladybugs.
And below we have some photos.
See the next post before this to find some info and links on ladybugs.
