The author assimilates information about ladybirds, discussing their structure, life histories, food, enemies, habitats, colours and patterns, genetics and evolution. He also sheds light on the phenomenon of cannibalism in ladybirds and the recent discovery of a feminist bacterium that kills eggs destined to produce males, but not those destined to produce females. Finally he discusses the use and potential use of ladybirds as biological control agents, how they are under threat from man, and what we can do to conserve them.