Doctors Baffled After Finding Live Ladybug in Man’s Large Intestine

Photo byACG CASE REPORTS JOURNAL, 2019

When a gastroenterologist ventures into the human colon, there are certain things they’re prepared to see—tumors, polyps, ulcers, or remnants of the digestive process. But in 2019, a clinical team documented a far more unusual sighting: a ladybug. Yes, you read that right—inside the colon of a 59-year-old man from Columbia.

This bizarre discovery was published in the ACG Case Reports Journal, revealing how even the most routine medical procedure can sometimes produce the unexpected.

The Colonoscopy: A Glimpse Into the Body's Inner Workings

For those unfamiliar, a colonoscopy is a crucial procedure in modern medicine, allowing doctors to closely examine the colon for early signs of disease. A camera is inserted into the body, traversing the length of the large intestine in search of abnormalities. While this procedure is often life-saving, it’s not without its discomforts, especially when preparing the body for inspection.

The success of a colonoscopy relies heavily on a clean colon, and this requires patients to endure a strict regimen of laxatives. The 59-year-old man in question had undergone this grueling process, drinking a gallon of polyethylene glycol, a powerful laxative designed to cleanse the colon.

This preparation ensures that the camera gets a clear view, but it also set the stage for something quite extraordinary.

How Did the Ladybug Get There?

The question everyone is likely asking is: How did a ladybug end up inside this man’s colon? The exact origin of this little intruder remains a mystery, but the researchers offered an intriguing hypothesis.

The ladybug, identified as Harmonia axyridis, may have entered the man’s body while he was sleeping, potentially ingested unknowingly.

What’s even more remarkable is that the insect was relatively intact. The researchers believe that the colon-cleansing process may have fast-tracked its journey through the digestive system, shielding it from the usual breakdown by stomach acids and digestive enzymes.

The laxative, polyethylene glycol, is designed to speed up bowel movements, and this rapid transit may have allowed the ladybug to survive long enough to appear on camera.

“The patient's colonoscopy preparation was 1 gallon of polyethylene glycol the evening before colonoscopy, and the colonoscopy examination was otherwise normal,” the researchers noted. “His colonoscopy preparation may have helped the bug to escape from digestive enzymes in the stomach and upper small intestine.”

The Same Thing Happened with a Cockroach

Interestingly, this isn’t the first time an insect has survived the perilous journey through the digestive tract. Gastroenterologist Dr. Keith Siau has shared other cases where insects, including cockroaches, were discovered during routine colonoscopy in a 52-year-old woman in Pennsylvania. The cockroach case was published as a separate medical case report in Endoscopy in 2010.

Photo byEndoscopy, 2010.

Conclusion

The next time you think of a colonoscopy, remember that it’s not just a vital tool for detecting disease—it’s also a reminder that the natural world can surprise us, even in the most unlikely places. Whether it’s a ladybug, a cockroach, or another surprise guest, our bodies and the creatures around us are constantly interacting in ways we might never imagine.