Massachusetts’ Official State Bug Is Actually Pretty Adorable
Last fall Massachusetts announced its official state dinosaur and became one of only 16 states to even have an official state dinosaur.
Clearly, not every state has the same state "stuff." Though each of the 50 states has its own state flag, state flower and state tree, that seems to be where it ends.
Outside of those three things, it varies as to which state has certain official stuff, though it seems Massachusetts has a lot of set state things, Including our own state bug.
While most people would rather not think about bugs, a group of second graders in Franklin couldn't help but think Massachusetts needed one to call its own.
Back in the 1970s, a teacher named Ms. Johnson from Kennedy School in Franklin was teaching about Massachusetts' state bird, tree and fish when one student raised their hand to ask if there was a state bug.
After learning there wasn't one, the class unanimously decided the ladybug should be Massachusetts' official bug and they got an official state petition form to start the process of making it so.
The petition became a bill and the kids ended up at the State House telling lawmakers why they thought the ladybug would make a good state bug.
In classic second-grade thinking, they reasoned that because "they’re so beautiful with their shiny orange backs and bold black spots and they can be found in everyone’s backyard," ladybugs would be the perfect state bug.
Eventually lawmakers agreed and in April 1974, the ladybug (Massachusetts' most common insect) became the official state insect.
Today, only 48 states have official state bugs and you can keep scrolling to see them all here.