Ladybugs

LADYBUG LEGENDS:

Nearly ALL cultures believe that a Ladybug is lucky.

Killing one is said to bring sadness and misfortune.

In France, if a Ladybug landed on you, whatever ailment

you had would fly away with the Ladybug.

If a Ladybug is held in the hand while making a wish,

the direction that it flies away to shows where

your luck will come from.

If the spots on the wings of a Ladybug are more than seven,

it's a sign of coming famine. If less than seven, it means

you will have a good harvest.

In Belgium, people believed that if a Ladybug crawled across
a young girl's hand, she would be married within a year.

People in Switzerland told their young children

that they were brought to them, as babies, by Ladybugs.

(...and we thought Storks did that)!

In some Asian cultures, it is believed that the Ladybug understands

human language, and has been blessed by God, Himself.

In Brussels, the black spots on the back of a Ladybug indicate to the

person holding it how many children he/she will have.

According to a Norse legend, the Ladybug came to earth
riding on a bolt of lightning.

The Victorians in Britain believed that if a Ladybug alighted on your

hand, you would be receiving new gloves.....if it landed on your head,

a new hat would be in your future, and so on.

In the 1800's, some doctors used Ladybugs to treat measles! They

also believed that if you mashed ladybugs (ewww!) and put them

into a cavity, the insects would stop a toothache!

During the Pioneer days, if a family found a Ladybug in their log cabin

during the winter, it was considered a "Good Omen".

In the Spring, if numerous Ladybugs are seen flying around,

British farmers say it forecasts many bountiful crops.

Many Bretons believe that the arrival of Ladybugs will bring fair weather.

Folklore suggests if you catch a Ladybug in your home, count the number
of spots and that's how many dollars you'll soon find.

In Norway, if a man and a woman spot a Ladybug at the same time,

there will be a romance between them.

              

              Whatever name you know them by,
              Ladybugs are truly well-known AND well-loved,
          all around the Globe!

source: http://www.celticbug.com/Legends/Lore.html