Tuesday, July 14, 2015

Fruity Ladybug Bites



The girls (ages 9 and 10) helped me put together a quick, and healthy, ladybug snack in honor of the ladybug larva we found in the kitchen sink, released outside, and then spent the next hour trying to identify.


We finally decided it was likely either the larva a seven-spotted ladybug or a convergent ladybug, both of which we've seen in our yard recently.  There is a shocking lack of resources for ladybug larvae identification.  However there's a wealth of ideas for making ladybug themed treats.


We usually opt for cookies, to celebrate the spotting of the first ladybug of spring, like the convergent ladybug cookies pictured above.  In the stress and confusion of moving, we missed that tradition this year.  And now, well into summer, it seemed time for something lighter.


We started by scooping out a small ball of watermelon, with a rounded teaspoon measure...


...placed on a plate...


...with half a blueberry for a head...


...and topped with pieces of fresh Oregon blackberries...


...picked by my very own mother, and handed off to the Man of the House, when he dropped the older girls off there for camp.


You could stick a toothpick through the watermelon and blueberries to hold them together, and make small slits in the watermelon to place the blackberries into.  I'm not a big fan of toothpicks in food for children, so we just ate ours as is...


...in pieces.

6 comments:

Ticia said...

I'm impressed with your ladybug snack. We're brainstorming snacks right now for The Jungle Book, and this gives me a few new ideas.

claireshomeeducation said...

I really, really like these. Now we are off sugar I am always looking for sugar free type fun food and this fits the bill perfectly! Thanks for sharing!

MaryAnne said...

What a clever and delicious snack!

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

A snack that does not have sugar in it? You are slipping :D I just love the way they look!

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Natalie - I like to pretend to have a healthy side, at least once a year :)

Daniela Muñoz said...

i love your ladybag. I will take this idea to my childrens for the next summer