Where do ladybirds come from?

[Kez_9]

And why are they called ladybirds?

Our office has sealed windows, yet on a monthly basis even through winter, we frequently have ladybirds (one at a time) on the windows or our desk - why?!!

[robunibumuk]

Coccinellidae is a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds (Commonwealth English), ladybugs (North American English) or lady beetles (preferred by scientists). The word "lady" in the name is thought to allude to the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic faith. Coccinellids are found worldwide, with over 4,500 species described, more than 450 native to North America alone. Coccinellids are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm (0.04 to 0.4 inches), and are usually yellow, orange, or red with small black spots on their carapace, with black legs, head and feelers. As the family name suggests, they are usually quite round in shape. Because they are useful, colourful, and harmless to humans, coccinellids are typically considered cute even by people who hate most insects. Some people consider them to be a sign of good luck

[nickmo]

Good for the garden - don't kill a ladybird, just catch and release. Lots of info here: http://www.uksafari.com/ladybirds.htm

Name is after the Virgin Mary as she was depicted in art with a red cloak

[WendyS]

Ladybirds usually hibernate during the colder months of winter, so they may have come in via a florist if your office has evergreen plants or flowers delivered to it by a contractor and have hibernated somewhere in the building. Keep a jamjar handy so that you can catch them and release them during your lunchbreak or when you leave at the end of the day, so that they can fy free and resume their normal life. They will unfortunately starve if they don't find aphids and the other tiny insects they eat in the outdoors.