I have been painting ladybugs in my studio on and off for a decade now. It started with those classic 7-spot ladybugs, the ones we all think of when we hear the word "ladybug". This month I’ve moved on to painting different species and observing the differences more closely.
More on that in a minute...
One of my most popular cards is this ladybug greeting card, with many of my collectors telling me at checkout that they want to send it to a loved one to wish them good luck. I was curious that ladybugs have been seen as a symbol of good luck for so long that the origin of that connection is almost forgotten in daily life.
Why are ladybugs seen as lucky?
A ladybug landing on you is said to bring good luck, while scaring one away, or worse... killing one, is believed to bring bad luck.
The most important thing to know is that ladybugs (or ladybirds, as they are known in Europe) eat aphids and other crop-damaging insects.
(photo by Ali Goode)
According to a legend from the Middle Ages, a plague of insects was destroying a village's essential crops, and famine was impending. In what felt like divine intervention, a swarm of ladybugs appeared and saved the crops by devouring the pests.
This event, and likely many similar ones experienced by other agricultural societies, helped shape the lucky ladybug symbol that has lasted for over five hundred years.
So today, when you pick out a ladybug greeting card from a local artist’s studio, your message of good luck is effortlessly carried to a loved one about to embark on a difficult venture all thanks to these legendary little beetles.
Tapping into the Ladybug luck back in the studio
This month, I’ve been working on a series of 12 mini ladybug paintings. These 4" × 4" canvases have been such a joy to create. Each one features a different species, and with around 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide, I had plenty to choose from.
They’ll be releasing on Friday, April 17, 2026, just in time for Mother’s Day. If you want first dibs on this little collection, you can sign up for my email list here.
Stay tuned to see the rest of the ladybugs!
(first photo by Catherine Roque)
(sources: Ladybugs; Why are Ladybugs Lucky?)
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