doodlebug

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "doodlebug" is most often an affectionate nickname for a child. Traditionally, it also referred to the antlion larva, a small insect known for digging funnel-shaped traps in sandy soil.

#Appalachia #Animals #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've only heard doodlebug used as a nickname for kids.

Pronunciation

[DOO-d’l-bug]

Meaning & Usage

- Affectionate nickname for a child (noun)

Mae:

C’mere, doodlebug, time for supper.

Earl:

She answers to that quicker’n her real name.

- Antlion larva (noun, older farm sense)

Mae:

See them little funnels? That’s where doodlebugs live.

Earl:

We’d drop ants in ‘em and watch the trap.

other spellings: nickname for child, antlion larva, bug in the dirt, term of endearment, ``doodle``, ``little one``, and ``critter``

★ Though kids today mostly know "doodlebug" as a nickname, the word comes straight out of country life, where both bugs and babies got called by it. ★

Origin

"Doodlebug" has been recorded since the 1800s. The "bug" sense referred to antlion larvae that made cone-shaped traps in loose dirt. Families extended it as a playful pet name for children, a use that’s still strong in Appalachia and the South.

Notes

Today, the nickname sense is most common. The insect sense survives in older farm memories and regional folklore - kids used to chant "doodle, doodle, doodle" at the pits to draw the bugs out.

Say It Like a Southerner

Say it playful: "doodlebug." Works best as a pet name for children.

Kin Topics

Kin Words, Stories and More

Common Questions

Is "doodlebug" a bug or a nickname?

Both - in farm life it meant the antlion, but in daily speech it’s mostly a pet name for a child.

Do people still use it for the insect?

Rarely - mostly older generations recall that sense.

Do people still say it for kids?

Yes - it’s still a very common nickname in Appalachian and Southern families.