Scientists Delve Into Ladybug Mystery

Washington Post ^ | October 5, 2008 | Mary Esch

[big'ol_freeper]

Why that’s simple....
...it’s Bush’s fault.

[KoRn]

Bush’s fault!

[Defiant]

Now that you mention it, I haven’ seen any ladybugs in San Diego in a couple years. Usually we get a few times a year when they are swarming. Anyone else notice?

[shield]

Ladybugs are so smart leaving the liberal northeast.

[sierrahome]

We’re all broke out with ‘em up here in Placer County.

[Joe 6-pack]

Ever since they got permission from the courts to start marrying honeybees, both species have been in decline.

[Minn]

The red ones haven’t been around for years. The Orange Asian ones are a pest; congregating in huge numbers at building entrances this time of year, and showing up inside all winter long.

[muawiyah]

The answer: They got eaten by something.

[HerrBlucher]

Its called punctuated equilibrium.

[CaptRon]

I live in New York and I can tell you I have seen them.

[dragonblustar]

A few years ago Michigan was invaded by the yellowish looking ladybug. Gosh those were awful.

[Amor patriae]

“An unforeseen consequence of the Asian ladybug’s importation is that the insect has a habit of swarming on — and in — homes, making it somewhat of a nuisance”.

It will also bite you unlike the domestic nine-spotted ladybug. I hate ‘em.

[GBA]

Bayer pesticides again?

[GOPJ]

I never see them anymore. I used to buy some every now and then - they're great for eating aphids on fruit trees.

Maybe the ones sold around the country were able to mate with the "locals" but not able to produce offspring. Who knows?

[Defiant]

So that’s where they went!

[B-Chan]

Damn you, Karl Rove, and your infernal anti-nine-spotted-ladybug chemtrails!

[oldvike]

Interesting. Now that I think about it, I used to see ladybugs all the time when I was a kid. In all honesty, I can’t remember seeing one in the last 20 years.

[I see my hands]

A ladybug story.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

re: the orange ones —they generally show up over my dining table around Thanksgiving. I’ve just started spraying them with insect spray and vacuuming them up - they are the nastiest things.