Sung to: "Jolly Old St. Nicholas"
Ladybirds have spots or stripes
They're yellow, red or
green;
They love to live
where there are weeds;
Around the world they're seen.
They're in the beetle family
And that is no surprise,
Though some folks
call them "ladybugs"
Or even "ladyflies."
They lay their
eggs upon a leaf;
Their larva is quite small
With little legs;
the pupa stage
Hangs on a leaf or wall.
Their
favorite food is aphid pests
They eat a lot each day;
And from their legs a fluid comes
That drives their foes
away.
Each beetle has six jointed legs
With which it walks or clings;
It also has two separate pairs
Of
very special wings;
The first pair is quite
hard and tough,
Protecting what's below:
Transparent wings that
it can use
To fly where it should go.
About a hundred years ago
An awful insect pest
Was spoiling California's
fruit
The farmers had no rest
Till someone had a great idea
And from Australia came
A beetle that would save
the crop:
The ladybird by name.
© Suzy Gazlay
