Life on the 6 th floor of an old Parisian building usually gives me a view of rooftops, chimneys, and the occasional pigeon. But my tiny dill plant had a far more charming guest: a 22-Spot Ladybird: a golden-yellow beetle dotted like a miniature work of art. Now, here’s the fun part: Not all ladybirds are red! The 22-Spot Ladybird ( Psyllobora vigintiduopunctata ) is a cheerful yellow with 22 black irregular-sized spots. Instead of snacking on aphids like many of their cousins, these little rebels eat mildew. Yes, they are the cleaners of the insect world, nibbling away at the powdery stuff that gardeners dread. Across cultures, ladybirds are considered harbingers of good fortune. In France, spotting one can mean a wish granted; in Germany, they’re called Marienkäfer (Mary’s beetles) and are protectors of crops. Finding one on my dill leaves in Paris feels like a small blessing. Most ladybirds are voracious predators of aphids, scale insects, an...