Wrinkly Bits
A Blog by Gail Cushman
Originally posted 10/3/25
Do you remember our old childhood chant? ”Lady Bug, Lady Bug, Fly away home. Your house is on fire, and your children are gone. All except one, and her name is Ann and she hid under the baking pan.” Poor Ann, hiding from the world.
It’s a nice, sunny day in my part of the world, so I thought I would sit outside and take in the sun, the sky, and the birds. It was a lovely thought. I sat down and looked around and all a sudden, I was surrounded by lady bugs. On whatever day God made insects, Lady Bugs must have been the last He made because they are perfect. He practiced on a lot of bugs, including flies, spiders, and ants, until He got them right. Lady bugs are small, pretty, cute, non-combative, don’t bite, make soft landings on your arm or furniture. They don’t spit or shed. They can fly, but they don’t buzz in your ear. And they eat other bugs, especially feasting on aphids, flower-killing bugs. As far as I know, lady bugs don’t have any faults. What a joy to have them join me on our patio! I’m always curious about what a group of anything is called. Did you know: A group of ladybugs is called a “Loveliness.” Aptly named. I was surrounded by Loveliness.
Butterflies are also pleasant to have around, pretty, silent, never really bothering me, but butterflies have the caterpillar stage. Worms and caterpillars are similar in my book. Unloved. They have several group names: flutter, roost, or kaleidoscope. Not bad names in my book.
Yesterday, I was also surrounded by a bunch of bugs, boxelder bugs, that win the title of the Worst Bug Ever. Now those suckers are a mess. Lots of bug experts must agree because a group of boxelder bugs is called a Nuisance. Amen. In my opinion, they have no redeeming qualities, except perhaps they are easy to swat with a fly swatter, as they are slow. They are also silent, so they can creep up on an unaware suspect, with some determination. But they are slow, so I can swat ‘em.
Running a close second as the Worst Bug Ever is the ever-constant Stink Bug, also aptly named. And, it wins the Ugliest Bug Award in God’s list of accomplishments. This year we have plenty. Apparently, a group of stink bugs is just that, a Group, although Stench might be a better term. Stink bugs are also silent but move like they are on the hunt. They silently crawl and stare at me, and I’m sure they will pounce if given the chance. They can go up, down, over and under, too, so they hide easily, making me search for them. If God ever failed at anything, it was when He created these two bugs, with no redeeming qualities and I’m done with them.
On this beautiful day overlooking the Stillwater Valley where the cottonwoods are starting to show their bold colors, not quite yet, as they tease some of the younger trees to gain full color, I contemplate God, ladybugs, and butterflies and the coming winter. We are blessed to have these reminders. it is almost 6 o’clock and all is well. As Cowboy says, be safe Pilgrim and enjoy the Loveliness of Nature and a Flutter of butterflies. Not you though, Nuisance. Now, where’d I put that swatter?
