On sunny days, meadows, gardens, and fields are filled with familiar little creatures that scurry and crawl in all directions, including several insects that stand out for their appearance, behavior, or symbolism. These sometimes discreet creatures play an essential role in our ecosystems and are often surrounded by legends and popular nicknames. Here are some of these fascinating creatures that will amaze young and old alike.
The ladybird, nicknamed the animal of God
The ladybird, also known as the “animal of God”, is probably one of the most popular insects. There are almost six thousand species of ladybugs in the world, but in our latitudes, the most common have five or seven black dots on their red shell. According to some traditions, five-pointed ladybugs represent the wounds of Christ, while seven-pointed ladybugs symbolize the seven sacraments, or the seven days of the week, in the Catholic faith. These religious beliefs have contributed to the attribution of nicknames such as “Beast God”, “Cow God” or “Horse of the Virgin” to this tiny creature.
The ladybug is appreciated not only for its appearance, but also for its crucial role in the garden. In fact, it feeds on aphids and other plant pests. Gardeners therefore consider it a valuable ally in the fight against pests. In some French regions, such as Champagne and Morvan, it is also known as “Catherinette” or “Barboulotte”. These affectionate nicknames reflect the usefulness of the ladybug, which, in addition to being charming, is an indispensable insect for the preservation of our green spaces.
The dragonfly, an elegant carnivore
The dragonfly is another insect that does not go unnoticed, especially near bodies of water. Equipped with four translucent and nervous wings, it flies with grace and agility and seems to float above bodies of water. The anatomist Georges Cuvier is the origin of the name “dragonfly”, which he gave to this insect in 1798. This term is derived from the Latin “libella”, which means “horizontal”, in reference to the regularity of its flight.
A subspecies of the dragonfly, the “dragonfly”, can be recognized by its particularly elongated abdomen. Although its silhouette is elegant, a closer look reveals its large, protruding eyes and crushed mouthparts, characteristic of a wild carnivore. In fact, the dragonfly is a large eater of insects, which makes it a formidable predator despite its fragile and delicate appearance.
The firefly, that glittering
firefly On summer nights, it’s not uncommon to see small lights twinkling in the air or near the bushes. These points of light are actually fireflies, beetles capable of bioluminescence. They owe their nickname “fireflies” to their ability to produce light through a chemical reaction in their bodies.
The writer Dante Alighieri, in his famous work The Divine Comedy, baptized this creature “lucciola”, which means “little light” in Italian, a term that became “fireflies” in French in the 18th century. The light it emits can be yellow or green and varies by sex and species. Males use these flashes of light to attract the attention of females, who often cannot fly and react with light signals. This phenomenon has fascinated observers for centuries, and the firefly remains a poetic symbol of mysterious nature to this day.
