New Hampshire State Insect
Ladybug
The 1977 Legislature voted the ladybug as New Hampshire's official state insect, in a history-making manner. The House of Representatives reversed an adverse committee recommendation on a ladybug bill, with a 185 to 135 standing endorsement. And then the Senate gave the measure such enthusiastic approval that all 24 members signed a copy of the bill, which was framed and presented to the Broken Gound grammar school of Concord, whose pupils sponsored the idea.
It was the boys and girls of Grade 5 of the school who launched the ladybug project, out of their social studies, before the 1977 legislators. They had studied it the previous year, according to Mrs. Marilyn A. Fraser, their teacher, and developed lobbying plans to woo support of the incoming lawmakers. Details of this successful sponsorship of a new law by a group of school children are without precedent. First off, they turned to the two legislators of their East Concord district, Representatives Polly B. Johnson and Robert J. Watson, to sponsor their ladybug bill. They also collected the signatures of 100 citizens and other classmates, to support their venture.
The ladybug is a tiny, multi-colored, fast-flitting insect, which was described by its sponsors as shaped "like half of a pea, and often having red, white and yellow spots. Ladybugs feed chiefly on plant lice and scale insects. For this reason, fruit growers find ladybugs helpful." The pupils also testified that the ladybug is a sign of good luck, and that most folks are always careful not to harm one.
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Courtesy of New Hampshire Almanac
Image by Art Explosion 600,000.
