Creature Feature: Lady Luck

Written by: Zachory Mork, Naturalist

Welcome to month number nine in this Creature Feature series, where we explore the name origins of each month, and connect them to the creatures found in nature. To recap, the meanings behind these past eight months have heavily focused on Roman words, leaders, or even gods or goddesses. Surprisingly, the names of the remaining months left on the calendar year have largely remained unchanged since ancient Roman times! September is derived from the Latin word for ‘seven’ (septem). Prior to the calendar's expansion by two months, September was considered the seventh month of the calendar year, hence the name ‘September’.

When people think of the number seven, one of the associations that comes to mind has something to do with luck. Therefore, in this edition of Creature Feature, we will be exploring the types of animals that are connected to luck in some way, shape, or form.

Ladybugs (Coccinellidae Family)

For some gardeners and botanists, finding a ladybug can be a sign of good luck! These insects are beneficial because they prey on other agricultural pests, such as aphids. Their family name, Coccinellidae, is derived from Latin, and is a reference to their scarlet appearance. A ladybug's bright colors are indicative that these beetles are poisonous to potential predators. When disturbed, they can release these chemicals through joints in their legs, thus giving the predator a sample of their toxins. Over six thousand different species within the ladybug family have been described around the world. Our native ladybugs (the nine-spotted ladybug, for example) are sometimes mistaken for another species of insect: the Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis). These are non-native members within the Coccinellidae family that are often in hues of orange and have different white markings that rest farther away from the head.

Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus)

Have you ever heard of a lucky rabbit’s foot? One of the animals that it could be connected to is the eastern cottontail rabbit! This is the most widespread and common rabbit found in North America. They do not dig burrows, but rather form depressions within tall, dense vegetation where they can rest. In order to raise newborn kits, the rabbits will dig a small hole several inches deep and wide in a grassy area not far from the brush. Once the size is set, they will proceed to line and cover the nest with hairs and grasses so that the kits can stay warm and hidden as they develop. Cottontails can be both crepuscular or nocturnal, which means they are most active and eating around sunrise, sunset, or at night.

Horse (Equus ferus)

Horses have been domesticated for at least four thousand years, most likely beginning within the steppes of Europe and Asia. An owner may hang up an old horseshoe on walls and above doorways, as a sign for good luck. Despite their usefulness, both in labor and recreationally, there are still instances of wild/feral horses roaming free in different environments, such as the mustangs of the southwestern United States, or the small populations that dwell on islands along the Atlantic coast. Described as grazers that prefer open environments, horses move in herds, where there is a dominant male that defends the group females. When a foal from the group becomes an adult, it will leave their herd for a new one. Aside from the domesticated horse, there is only one other horse subspecies: Przewalski’s Horse (Equus ferus przewalskii). This is an endangered horse of Central Asia and Eastern Europe that went extinct from the wild, but has been reintroduced successfully since the 1990s.

Ladybug species

Eastern cottontail

Przewalski’s Horse