Ladybirds

[gentlegreen]

There was a report a while back of a ladybird trapped in the park noticeboard and sadly I never plucked up the courage to take a hex key and release it.
Sadly there were several dead ones (small, yellow) in there today

 

[gentlegreen]

A rather out of focus harlequin ?

 

[frogwoman]

A rather out of focus harlequin ?

View attachment 321309

Looks like two harlequins mating,

 

[frogwoman]

My latest episode is up. I interviewed the president of the Royal Entomological Society

 

[Steel Icarus]

 

[Steel Icarus]

I call this Dance of Death, which it would have been if the ladybird was remotely arsed/hungry

 

[gentlegreen]

Did you see my wasp and spider photo I posted on the wasp thread (because the spider lost) ?

 

[StoneRoad]

Saw a really cute, tiny two-spot ladybug on the plants outside the workshop a couple of days ago.
Apparently, it was on a mission - looking for aphids.
No camera, so you'll have to take my word for it.

 

[srb7677]

I see far fewer lady birds than I did in earlier years. Are their populations in decline?

 

[StoneRoad]

I see far fewer lady birds than I did in earlier years. Are their populations in decline?

Yes. I would say so ...

They also have good and bad years, depending on their food supply and the weather ...

 

[gentlegreen]

A fuzzy photo of a ladybird that landed on me this morning .

Common UK Ladybird Identification - Woodland Trust

There are 26 types of ladybird in the UK. Learn to tell who's who with our quick and easy guide to the some of the most commonly encountered species.

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

14-spot ladybird (Propylea quattuordecimpunctata)​

Our most common yellow and black ladybird. Widespread and often found in grassland and gardens.

 

[frogwoman]

My latest podcast is up:

 

[frogwoman]

Pickman's model

 

[farmerbarleymow]

 

[friedaweed]

We've got Harlequins in seriously high numbers. Around this time last year I was painting the house and they were attracted to the wet paint like moths to a lamplight.

They get in the window casings in their hundreds and when you leave the windows open they come inside and huddle in small groups in the corners.

If they weren't so cute they'd be a nuisance

 

[frogwoman]

New ladybirds discovered in Ecuador.

 

[frogwoman]

Epona

 

[Epona]

Oooh, they're pretty!

 

[Epona]

We've got Harlequins in seriously high numbers. Around this time last year I was painting the house and they were attracted to the wet paint like moths to a lamplight.

They get in the window casings in their hundreds and when you leave the windows open they come inside and huddle in small groups in the corners.

If they weren't so cute they'd be a nuisance

They are a nuisance in the UK, in that they are an invasive species and are decimating our native ladybirds - they eat the young of other ladybird species and are growing in number while others dwindle. Pretty but deadly

 

[frogwoman]

They are a nuisance in the UK, in that they are an invasive species and are decimating our native ladybirds - they eat the young of other ladybird species and are growing in number while others dwindle. Pretty but deadly

Naturalised in the UK and many rarer species can look very similar so killing them does much more harm than good. I've confused harlequin and 10 spot before

 

[frogwoman]

Relocate when you find it on a plant with Adalia species I'd say, they will eat the eggs and larvae. 2 spot and 10 spot are really in trouble because of them

 

[Epona]

Naturalised in the UK and many rarer species can look very similar so killing them does much more harm than good. I've confused harlequin and 10 spot before

Harlequins have brown to reddish to orangey legs, whereas most native species have black legs, you usually need to get them in a jar for a clear view of their undersides (possibly with magnifier).

 

[frogwoman]

Harlequins have brown to reddish to orangey legs, whereas most native species have black legs, you usually need to get them in a jar for a clear view of their undersides (possibly with magnifier).

Generally yeah but its not foolproof tho, 10 spot have brown legs as does cream streaked (harlequins harmless cousin) and cream spot is an entirely brown ladybird with white spots. Some harlequins can also look VERY dark

 

[frogwoman]

If you see a small weird looking ladybird and don't know what it is it's probably a 10 spot btw.

 

[Epona]

If you see a small weird looking ladybird and don't know what it is it's probably a 10 spot btw.

The 14 spot has some lovely patterns too - not so much spots as geometric blocks - very pretty

 

[friedaweed]

They are a nuisance in the UK, in that they are an invasive species and are decimating our native ladybirds - they eat the young of other ladybird species and are growing in number while others dwindle. Pretty but deadly

Yup definitely a nuisance here. We had thousands in the window gaps last year. Not seen many yet

 

[frogwoman]

The first non harlequin I've seen in about a month - Exochomus quadripustulatus , the Pine Ladybird

 

[frogwoman]

10 spot decimpustulata form

 

[StoneRoad]

I'm too far north for them just yet.
Will be keeping an eye out this week, as the next couple of days should be dry / warm / sunny for once.

 

[BoatieBird]

I saw my first one of the year today
A 7 spot.