Ladybugs hibernate in my yard every year. By mid to late fall on sunny
days the air is filled with swirls of them. Walking across the yard is a
creepy experience as dozens crash into you and start crawling and
occasionally biting. Later in the evening, or on cooler days, they lie on
the surface of the ground in piles several inches thick. They have few
spots (two, usually) and diverging white streaks on the thorax. I tried to
look them up in an 'Insects' field guide and found something that looked
close with a specific of _divergens_ referring to the white marks, if I
remember correctly.

Starting with the first hint of warmth in the springtime sun they emerge
and bask during the day, again forming masses several inches thick usually
covering a fencepost or a ponderosa pine sapling. They disappear in the
evenings, presumably back into their burrow.

Then, they disperse, although some can be found around all summer in more
normal numbers. And then, aphids kill my broccoli.

Tom Besser
WA Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab
tbesser at vetmed.wsu.edu