28 October 2025
In Yena's flat there is currently a hibernating colony of probably about a hundred ladybugs huddled on the corner of the moulding above the tall arched windows in her living room. They've been stationed there for a month or so now as the London weather has become colder with fall slowly morphing into winter. Most of them have remained clumped together the entire time, but every once in a while one will wake up, detach from the group, and go on a little excursion around the room. A few days ago, one parachuted down onto the table where Yena and I were having dinner. Yena gave it a small slice of cucumber. It munched on it for a while, took a little rest, and then returned to its colony. Just before I began to write this, one flew down and landed on the power cord plugged into my laptop. It has been hugging it since, like a monkey clinging to a tree—I think it likes the warmth.