A ladybird hibernates in Tewin, England

© James Pearce/Alam

'Tis the season to snooze. How do ladybugs winter?

Our photo shows a single ladybug taking a winter’s nap near Tewin, England. That’s right, many species of ladybug hibernate over winter in the northern hemisphere. In Redwood Regional Park, near San Francisco, this time of year is ‘ladybug season’- where hikers in the cool, damp woods may spot large groups of ladybugs (called a ‘loveliness’) huddled for warmth and safety, snoozing until the spring. They’ll wake up, and get back to eating more crop-killing aphids – a good reason to let that loveliness of ladybugs in your backyard alone.