The ladybug, along with butterflies and dragonflies, is considered one of the most beautiful and beloved insects. From childhood, people are accustomed to respecting ladybirds, and few dare to crush her. They are associated with many positive signs and beliefs that have survived from ancient times.
Instructions
Step 1
You can hardly find a Russian-speaking person who is not familiar with the children's quatrain:
Ladybug, fly to heaven, Bring me some bread
Black and white
Only not burnt."
To this day, many superstitions and signs associated with these charming insects have survived. For many peoples, the ladybug was considered a sacred insect, for example, among the British it was considered a servant of the Virgin Mary, hence the name - ladybug. Similar beliefs existed among the ancient Slavs, the Slavs worshiped ladybirds.
Step 2
During pagan times, the bright scarlet color of the shell of ladybirds was associated with fire in people, therefore these arthropods were considered a kind of messengers of the sun god Yarila. They were believed to bring a rich harvest and new life.
Step 3
Later in Russia, a tradition arose to ask a ladybug sitting on her hand or on her clothes about the upcoming weather. If the bug flies away, then the day will be clear, if it remains, it's bad weather. There were other signs as well. So, unmarried girls wondered about marriage. Having caught a ladybug, they asked about where they would meet the future groom, and how soon they would get married, after which they blew them off the palm of their hand. Young children believed that the number of black specks on the back of a ladybug indicated its age. The adults determined by the number of dots how many happy months there will be next year.
Step 4
“Don't kill the ladybug - it will turn into disaster,” says an old saying. Some people tried not to chase away the arriving cows, but only gently nudge them with a blade of grass or gently blow away. This kind of belief had a reasonable basis: ladybugs destroy aphids, so this insect provides a huge service to agriculture. Indeed, aphids are a real disaster for the peasants. Therefore, it was believed that if you find a large concentration of ladybirds in one place, expect a large harvest of rye.
