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Upcycle old golf balls into adorable ladybugs for your garden
These are just too cute!
Luis Gaskell
04.19.21

Gnomes and flamingos are nice and all, but they’re a bit….common, don’t you think? That, and they stick out quite a bit.

The last thing I expect to see inhabiting a green, leafy domain is a pink, shrimp-eating bird and a miniature person with a pointy hat.

Gary Barnes on Pexels
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Gary Barnes on Pexels

Now insects, on the other hand, there’s something that would fit in perfectly! They’re the unsung heroes of any ecosystem, and though they don’t exactly get the best PR, they’re still a welcome addition to any garden (provided that they’re not invasive or destructive variety…).

If you asked a bunch of people what bugs they’d happily welcome into their garden, you’re all but guaranteed to hear “butterflies” and “ladybugs”.

Can’t say I blame them, ladybugs and butterflies really are as gorgeous as their reputation says they are. Though getting them to come to you is easier said than done, to say the least.

@ramblingrosebeads on Instagram
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@ramblingrosebeads on Instagram

Why not just make their likeness yourself, and have them take up some spots in your garden while you hope for the real ones to show up? It’s DIY time!

Unlike many DIY projects of this sort – which would usually have you do some cutting, gluing or anything of the sort, all you need to do for these is paint over them!

Suzy Kolevski on Facebook
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Suzy Kolevski on Facebook

I think we all know what a Ladybug looks like, don’t we? Shouldn’t be too much trouble to recreate one with a paint. It’s as simple as sanding the golf balls before applying some spray paint before you get to work. Sounds quite hard to mess up, even for the most inexperienced of us.

You might not be a natural history illustrator, but how hard can it be?

Hold that thought! Turns out, some Ladybug (or ladybird, or ladybeetles whatever you want to call them) species deviate quite a bit from the all-too recognizable red-with-black-spots look. Coccinellidae, the family that ladybeetles belong to, actually has a pretty diverse array of patterns and palettes.

Which is great news for the craftsy, DIY-loving folks out there! There’s yellow ladybeetles, and some gorgeous orange and striped ones too.

Not to throw the red spotted ones under the bus, of course. They’re still super cute.

Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas on Facebook
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Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas on Facebook

Though the golf balls would make for some rather chunky ladybugs, that just makes them cuter and stand out more, doesn’t it? That, and if you’re going to spend time on a project like this, it’d be nice if people could see the work you put in.

Green Thumb Almanac on Facebook
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Green Thumb Almanac on Facebook

Any garden benefits from some lively, inanimate residents. Those plants and bugs need something to keep them company, and it’s not like they care how silly their companions look.

There’s no denying that they look pretty silly with their roundness and cartoonishly big eyes, but that’s the whole idea!

Sheri Ellis Kappes on Facebook
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Sheri Ellis Kappes on Facebook

You can make as many of these as you’d like, provided you have that many golf balls to paint.

However, it’s hard to know how the real ladybugs will react when they show up to your garden and see your attempts to capture their likeness. If you ask me, any one who gets a portrait done of them should be grateful.

Sandi Wilson on Facebook
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Sandi Wilson on Facebook

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