To the Ladybug in Charge of Winter Home Assignment; Birmingham Embassy of Ladybugs:
First of all, let me compliment your organization skills. To be able to organize 44 ladybugs to all show up in one place at the same time is quite impressive. It reminds me of the flash mob craze, except without the internet to organize it.
Also, to have this happen within 10 days of the exact date we were swarmed last year shows that your timing is impeccable. Especially since I happen to know that these are certainly not the same ladybugs that came last year. You are quite the impressive administrator.
I am writing today to make a simple request in your assignment decision. I am not opposed to ladybugs, and although I would prefer not to be swarmed with them every year, I can handle that. I just request that you please pick a different room in our house other than Ali’s bedroom.
This will benefit you also – because you see, had you not chosen her room to swarm last year, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to eat one of your honored members.
I know that there are much worse bug infestation options, and I would definitely choose ladybugs over all other bugs to swarm my house, so I do hope you don’t take offense to my request. It’s just. . . a baby’s room is not the place to camp out for the winter!
If you are insistent on continuing to come to her room, I would appreciate it if you could be so kind in letting me know how you’re getting in, so that I can make a more “welcoming” entrance for you (don’t pay any attention to my fingers crossed behind my back).
Sincerely,
The owner of the Birmingham Ladybug Winter Lodge.
p.s. – I am sure that you are demanding answers to the drowning of 24 ladybugs this morning and 20 more ladybugs before naptime that occurred in an Aquafina water bottle. I am so sorry for your tragedy and my thoughts and condolences go out to the whole Ladybug community. I will let you know if I identify any suspects in this dreadful crime. This may just not be a very safe neighborhood for ladybugs.
That’s funny. I hope Ali doesn’t eat another one.
Aw maaaannnn! I was planning to write a blog about this tomorrow and you beat me to it! We, too, have been invaded by ladybugs again this year. I even took a bunch of pictures of their little army today. Bummer!
Dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum dum (my best funeral dirge sound)
Our first home was covered in ladybugs. They got in the light fixtures and they would crawl up the walls. I know they can’t hurt you, but it was very strange to see a line of ladybugs crawling up your wall!
We were swarmed every year in rooms on the south side of the house. Until… We painted the formerly white exterior blue. That decreased the numbers by a TON. I guess they’re really attracted to lighter colors. Pleasant coincidence. The other thing we had to do was put new seals under doors and around windows.
Oh, and don’t they make the WORST smell if you kill them? Two years after my last ladybug, my memory can still conjure up the stench.
Actually, my husband came up with an ingenious way of killing them last year so that it makes no mess nor smell. You take a water bottle with a little water in it, and assuming they’re on the ceiling, place the bottle over them and slightly scoot the bottle to knock them in. If they’re on the wall, knock them in with your finger. Then, I insist that for a humane end, cap the water bottle and shake vigorously. And Voila – dead, non-smooshed, non-smelly ladybugs.
And Lindsay, you should still write your post anyway! It’s all the funnier that we both got swarmed on the same day.