An unusually high number of ladybirds have been sighted this summer in the UK – with a swarm of the bugs even pausing play at the England versus India cricket test match at Lords last week – leading to claims that an 'invasion' is taking place.
But are there really more ladybirds around this summer?
Helen Roy, an ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, explains, “A higher number of ladybirds are being observed this year. Seven-spot ladybirds have been recorded at a significant increase, as well as other species such as Adonis ladybirds and 14-spot ladybirds.”
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And there are two major factors driving the population explosion of the spotted beetles. “These ladybirds feed on aphids which were in plentiful supply when the ladybirds emerged from their winter dormancy and this, coupled with the warm weather, has provided perfect conditions for ladybirds,” Roy says.
“Indeed, high temperatures enable ladybirds to complete their lifecycles very rapidly and consequently we are seeing lots of adult ladybirds that have recently emerged from their pupae.”
Ladybirds have a long history of being used as a biological pest control as they feed on insects such as aphids, which have a particular preference for sap-sucking crops and garden plants. So farmers and keen gardeners could benefit from the greater numbers.
Roy also leads the ladybird national recording scheme, UK Ladybird Survey, as a volunteer. People in the UK can report sightings of ladybirds via the iRecord platform.
Roy says, "The contributions that people make to our understanding of the ecology of ladybirds (and other wildlife) by submitting their sightings to iRecord are inspiring and very much appreciated.”
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Top image: close up of a ladybird. Credit: Getty