“Humph, Mary Frances, you certainly have an enviable imagination. I should say they were more fittingly named Possumbugs. Have you ever noticed how they ‘play possum’ when you try to pick them up?”
“Indeed I have,” Mary Frances laughed at the remembrance. “Maybe they do that to save their lives just as opossums do; but they are so very pretty that I’d call them Ladybirds for that reason alone.”
“Not all are pretty alike,” commented Billy.
“Why, don’t they all wear shiny red dresses with black polka dots?” asked Mary Frances.
“No,” smiled Billy, “some wear shiny black dresses with red or yellow polka, dots; sometimes the dress is yellow with black spots.”
“Oh, isn’t that interesting!” cried Mary Frances. “I never tried the rhyme on any but the red ones with black dots.”
“I never ‘tried’ the rhyme. How do they act?” asked Billy.
“Well,” laughed Mary Frances, “usually, if you blow your breath upon them, they fly away; if you just watch them, they generally turn around and run as fast as they can in the opposite direction from which they were going.”
“Probably looking for food,” said Billy.
“Probably running to save their children’s lives.” Mary Frances was quite indignant.