A Lady bird

The word 'ladybird' itself is an evolution of 'lady beetle', which was so called because of its traditional connection with the Virgin Mary. A popular legend recalls that during the middle ages when invasive insects were destroying food crops, the farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary and were blessed with thousands of ladybirds who quickly ate the pests and saved the harvest. From then on, the ladybird was known as 'Our Lady's Beetle', which evolved through ladybeetle, ladybug and finally to the presently known ladybird. This religious connection is also found in the ladybirds' names around the world:
Ladybirds often gather together to spend the winter in thick hollow stems, amongst leaf litter, around window and door edges, under logs and many other sheltered corners. Take care not to disturb sleeping ladybirds if you find them when tidying up the garden; in the spring they will wake up and begin eating aphid pests which will also have reappeared.
Ladybirds often overwinter in colonies, tucked away in the corner of a garden shed.
And now for the lates news about the Harlequin Ladybird..its not a funny bird at all..
Cheshire Wildlife Trust, Harlequin Ladybird