illustration: ladybug

Ladybugs, or coccinellidae, are friendly bugs, due to their helpfulness in our gardens and farmlands, however diminutive they are. From the moment they hatch, by the hundreds of eggs, ladybugs get to work and eat the even smaller, yet destructive plant-eating pests known as aphids.

As a defense, the signature bright red coloration of its back deters most predators from eating them. Ladybugs can secrete an oily foul-tasting fluid from their joints, if attacked. If all else fails, they can play dead, retract their head and hide their legs beneath their dome-shaped body much like a tortoise does.

The lifespan of a ladybug is one to two years. During the cold months, ladybugs can overwinter, seeking safety under rocks, old logs and in crevices of houses, at which time they enter a diapause state.

My Ladybug illustrations are part of a set of postcards, available in my store.

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sketch: turtles on log

A little doodle of turtles sunbathing. My turtles look puzzled because its warm, but Fall is just on the horizon. So get ready for apple picking and the changing of the foliage, Autumn begins this weekend!

sketch: dropshot fishing

illustration: dragonfly