Lady Bugs?

This afternoon Braedon, Reilly, and I were outside. I was working in our little garden while the boys played in the yard. As I looked over to check on Braedon, I noticed he was very closely watching something on the cement.

I heard him saying, "Wady Bugs. Wady Bugs." I walked over to see them and noticed two Box Elder Bugs desperately trying to escape the 5 year-old boy that was "playing" with them.

I should mention that Braedon really enjoys watching bugs. Usually from about 1/2 inch away. Today was no exception.

When one would almost escape to the grass, Braedon would push it back and watch it struggle to upright itself and begin the escape process all over again. I was encouraging him to set the little bugs free.

At that point, Braedon picked them up by pinching them and putting them in the palm of his hand. "There. I got 'em", he said as he walked a little further from me. Clearly I had interrupted his bug watching.

I walked over to see if they were even still alive and saw one had, mercifully, passed on. The other was trying to escape with only a few legs still functional. Braedon decided to end things and took a plastic bike wheel and ran over the bug. And over. And over.

"There! I did it! Hooray! Great job Braedon!", he excitedly proclaimed.

I will keep an eye on him going forward.