Over the past few years, nests of lady bugs over-winter inside the dormers of our Cape Cod-styled house. When the late winter weather warms the roof, the lady bugs metamorphicize from wolf-like horrorbugs into the cute little beetles we all know and love.

They especially love our second floor refuge (aka The Nursery). On Sunday evening, I was lounging in The Nursery watching basketball. A few beetles were congregating around the warm lamp bulb beside my chair. Without a thought I reached for my cup of water for a big gulp and as soon as my lips met the cup, I felt a smooth bubble just under the cup‘s rim. Moments later, my mouth was awash with a most intense bitterness, like a bitter explosion, numbing my lips.

I reflexively repelled the cup, fortunate that the massive stadium cup didn’t flood the floor. There, right under the edge of the cup, was a pretty lady bug.

Wonderfully cute, but passionately bitter.