A "bishy barnabee" is an English dialect word for which of these insects?
The answer refers to a widespread family of small beetles, formally known as “Coccinellidae.” They are commonly known as ladybugs in North America and ladybirds in Great Britain. Entomologists prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles to avoid confusion with true bugs. Many of the species have conspicuous colours and patterns, such as red with black spots, that warn potential predators that they are distasteful. They are generally considered beneficial insects, because many prey on aphids and other insects that are agricultural pests.
The name “ladybird” has a religious connotation, as it refers to Our Lady, the Virgin Mary. Ladybirds once had a variety of regional names. In the Norfolk and Suffolk dialects the ladybird is known as a “bishy barnabee.” The etymology of this word is unclear, but linguists have suggested that again there is a religious connotation: “bishy barnabee” is taken as a local dialect variation on the words “Bishop Bonner’s bee.” Bishop Edmund Bonner, who had been vicar in the Norfolk town of East Dereham, became Bishop of London in 1539 and was known as a notorious persecutor of Protestant martyrs during the reign of Queen Mary I of England.
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