Here's Why People Believe Ladybugs Are Spiritual Harbingers of Prosperity
If you cross paths with a ladybug, consider this fortuitous encounter a sign of good things to come.
Updated Sept. 3 2024, 4:12 p.m. ET
Many people hold ladybugs in such high regard that they keep ladybug-friendly food in their gardens to attract the insects to their homes. Especially during the fall season, when there is a noticeable uptick in ladybugs, those who find spiritual meaning in chance encounters with ladybugs relish the opportunity to see them.
Other people feel a sense of connectedness with nature and the universe when a symbolically spiritual creature lands on them, and the sentiment with ladybugs is no different.
As summer turns to fall, or if you live in an area with a higher number of ladybugs throughout the seasons, keep this guide handy to refer back to the spiritual meaning of the ladybug and what your lucky encounter with one may mean for your future.
The ladybug serves as a symbol of gracefulness amid change.
As the flowers around us bloom beautiful colors and ladybugs themselves transform into beautiful insects, the beauty around us serves as a reminder, according to Spirit Animal, "that change takes time and we’re encouraged to be patient."
Change can be scary and life-altering. It's peaceful to consider, however, that we too can transform gracefully like the ladybug, and as Spirit Animal advises, "let your complexes fade away, and your personality grow in strength and color."
Ladybugs are considered by farmers to be a symbol of protection.
As mindbodygreen (MBG) notes, farmers and gardeners alike consider ladybugs to be protective thanks to their diet including the very pests that threaten the well-being of their crops or other plants and flowers.
Author Linda Star Wolf, Ph.D. told MBG that the very name of the insect comes from European farmers who anointed them "beetle of Our Lady" as an answer to their prayers for a solution to pests ruining their crops.
Some families believe ladybugs are symbolic of fertility.
It's no wonder adorable ladybug costumes are a popular choice for children's Halloween attire (aside from the fact that they're just cute), as ladybugs are often symbolic of fertility. According to MBG, the reappearance of ladybugs in the warmer weather months has also contributed to their reputation as symbols of fertility and rebirth.
As a spiritual guide, ladybugs symbolize readiness to embrace a daring step forward.
As the ladybug gracefully flows amongst flowers, so should you embrace a daring leap to the thing that scares you, according to Spirit Animal. As a spiritual guide, the ladybug may inspire you to be more vulnerable and open with others, just as much as they encourage you to stand up and reject the negative energy from those with nefarious intent.
As a "powerful ally," per Spirit Animal, "this totem animal shows that you can accomplish great things while remaining humble and even vulnerable."
Many cultures revere ladybugs for bringing good fortune.
The jewelry brand Alex and Ani explains that Slavic, European, Asian, and Native American cultures hold ladybugs in high esteem for bringing good fortune to people. Additionally, they explain that Japanese culture views ladybugs as heavenly, while French culture views ladybugs as "religious messengers."
