Downtown Milford is putting finishing touches on this year’s Bud and Bug Festival - which includes a special acknowledgement of the ladybug’s place in Delaware and the students that suggested it be named the First State’s official bug 50 years ago.
In 1974, second graders at Milford’s Lulu M. Ross Elementary School heard that Maryland had adopted the butterfly as the state bug - and decided Delaware needed its own bug.
“So they had three options that the class voted on - the mosquito, crickets and the ladybug. The class decided the mosquitos were mean, the crickets ate clothes, but ladybugs were nice. So the ladybug was selected. ”
“They actually went to Legislative Hall in April 1974, and they sat as the House of Representatives voted, the Senate voted and then they went to the Governor’s office, who signed the actual proclamation on the back of one of the students wearing a ladybug costume.”
Ross notes the Milford Museum’s Claudia Leister will read a brief history of the process and members of that second grade class are invited as special guests.
The festival also plans to honor the students’ roll by gearing this year’s festival toward families and children.
The Bud and Bug Festival is April 27th starting at 9am with the People and Pet Parade in downtown Milford.
