Ladybug Hunter

As of April 15th the official Ladybug Hunting Season started.  My little girl was out there daily hunting down her favorite bug friends, putting them in her "Ladybug House" with grass, sticks, flowers and dirt (I wasn't aware of dirt until later).  I found a Ladybug Tent (see pic) at Wise Buys for $9.98!  It's a great construction and couldn't have been found at a better time.  Ladybug's previous tent that she got from my parents on her birthday broke and couldn't be repaired (like Humpty Dumpty).  The poles on this tent are a lot better suited for little girl playing.  She loves her tent and it's even tall enough for me to play inside.  


My hunter comes home from school every day and would put on her Ladybug stuff (her house that's on a necklace string, her Ladybug watch that you can put ladybugs in) and would run outside to the "ladybug grass".  This girl seems to be able to spot a ladybug at 10 yards or more.  I am impressed.  I try to limit the number that she can keep per day and we release them daily so they can get food etc.  She gets mad when the dog knocks the ladybugs off the grass so she can't find them.  


I have got to admit it's fun to watch her collect the ladybugs and it seems like this ladybug season is shorter than last season and we don't seem to have as many ladybugs as there were last year.  Maybe the Mommy Ladybugs warned the baby ladybugs to stay away from the Ladybug Hunter House.  I can imagine them telling the baby ladybugs bedtime stories about this little girl who comes out while they are eating dinner, snatches them, puts them in a plastic container with other ladybugs who "take advantage" of you.  (There are a lot of piggy back rides in her ladybug house).  I know I have aphids on my roses but the darned ladybugs are on the grass instead. I don't get it.  


I hope if I am reincarnated that I don't come back as a Ladybug.  Oh, she doesn't hurt them and they are released alive and well but still.  I can imagine the trauma the poor things go through before then. Like when Ladybug put the ladybug house on one of her swings and they were freaking out!!!  Poor things were crawling everywhere trying to get away from the earthquake.  I am sure there was ladybug puke everywhere.  We have since discussed being very careful with where we put the ladybug house when we aren't putting ladybugs into it.  I think it's helped.


I am looking forward to another day of ladybug hunting and gardening.  Hopefully it will be cool enough this afternoon to do them.  If not, throwing the frisbee to the dog should be nice.  Also wanted to try to give the smelly dog a bath.  Am going to try tomato juice, letting it dry on her and then washing it off.  Hopefully that will help.