UK Ladybird Survey results
|15:59 UK time, Wednesday, 1 September 2010
You may remember Martin Hughes-Games inviting the nation to join the UK Ladybird Survey, on Springwatch back in June. Here's an update on what people saw, photographed and reported.
First a bit of background. Scientists at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) in Oxfordshire have ladybird records dating back to 1832 and have been using their ladybird-survey.org website to collect data directly from the public since 2004. This summer BBC Breathing Places teamed up with the CEH scientists to encourage schools and the general public to report sightings.
You did, in your thousands! Here are some of the highlights:
- Confirmed sightings of 18 different ladybird species.
- First verified sightings of two rare species near the Solway Firth.
- Hints that the arrival of the aggressive harlequin ladybird is not necessarily driving away smaller native species.
- Evidence of harlequins breeding as far north as central Scotland.
- Suggestion that plant-eating ladybirds may have thrived in the wet spring.
One thing you need to know about ladybirds is that many of them are named after a number of spots. But the name is not a reliable guide to how many spots they actually have. Bear that in mind, as we dive in to some of the results...
All the usual suspects cropped up: 2-spot, 7-spot and 10-spot are common native species. (You can see pictures in the full-colour ladybird guide [pdf].)
The harlequin newcomer (originally from Asia, first seen here in 2004) is also now common across much of southern Britain. Slamannan Primary School near Falkirk reported harlequin ladybirds breeding, evidence that even the cold winter just gone has not stopped their northward spread into Scotland.
A heather ladybird spotted by Ella Mclellan at the RSPB Mersehead Reserve
Some genuinely rare species caught the attention of eagle-eyed ladybird spotters. One surveyor in Dumfries & Galloway came up trumps with an amazing array, including the rare water and heather ladybirds, as well as 14-, 22- and 24-spots. That's the first verifiable evidence of those rare species living in that part of Scotland.
The CEH scientists are keen to see if the relatively large harlequin is able to outcompete smaller ladybirds, such as the 2-spot. Sightings of the two together hint that they can co-exist.
A genuine surprise to the research team has been the number of herbivorous ladybirds reported. Species such as the orange ladybird and the 16- and 22-spot feed on mildew, pollen and nectar. (Most ladybirds eat aphids such as greenfly and blackfly.) If this isn't a reporting anomaly, it's possible the weather in the spring of 2010 favoured vegetarians.
A 22-spot ladybird found by Llanigon School
What next?
The survey is open all year round so you can always report seeing a ladybird. To verify your sighting, please take a photograph. The online ladybird recording form asks you where you saw ladybirds, how many and of what types. Then you can upload a digital picture or two as proof.
If you ever want help identifying a ladybird, take a look at the Breathing Places interactive Spotter.
Have you seen a lot of ladybirds this summer? Did you spot any rare ones? Let us know in the comments.
Comment number 1.
At 22:02 2nd Sep 2010, linsargent wrote:I've seen loads this year. I have a garden out the side of my house that had been neglected by the previous owner. It was covered in brambles at least 20ft high. Once I had cleared it, and rescued a couple of trees into the bargain, I've 'managed' it this year, waiting to see what flowers pop back up that were dormant. I have supplemented this with british wild flowers (especially the corn flower). There are now lots of buttercups across the plot, and I've seen loads of lady birds there, and many different types too. It's nice to be able to give something back that was so barren before.
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Comment number 2.
At 22:43 5th Oct 2010, cathie-ww wrote:In Seaton, Devon I found and photographed a 13 spot ladybird which apparently has only just started re-colonising in this country
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Comment number 3.
At 16:35 7th Oct 2010, WoodsOfFallen wrote:It was about this time last year that there was an influx of ladybirds, today I was annoyed by Harlequins that kept trying to land on me when I sat near to the pond, they seemed entranced by my purple skirt hah.
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Comment number 4.
At 17:27 8th Oct 2010, pat norris wrote:at the moment I and my next door neighbour are overrun with ladybirds in our houses. They are all over the walls and windows. Can anyone tell me why we are being invaded and the best way to keep them outside where they belong.
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Comment number 5.
At 19:56 8th Oct 2010, Michelle wrote:Hi please can someone tell me why when i arrived home from work today at 3pm that my front door and porch were teaming with ladybirds? I have never seen so many. All different types. I know they like to come inside to hibernate but this was incredible. Once i picked my son up from school, i asked him to count them all. He stopped counting when he reached 50!!!! They were all coming inside. My neighbor also had the same problem, but they seemed to have settled down now and although there is a few most have gone or found someone to stay. I live on the Essex/Suffolk boarder. Is this usual?
Thank you
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Comment number 6.
At 11:34 9th Oct 2010, siriusgirl2009 wrote:Hi
Can someone please answer the interesting question sent in by 2 boys on the Autunmnwatch messageboard? They found 12 ladybirs nesting in one of their dads shirts on the washing line - but none in an identical shirt and are curious as to why that should be?
Think its great that children are venturing on to the sights - unfortunately I wasn't able to answer their question, so hopefully someone on here will know. Thank you
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Comment number 7.
At 12:18 9th Oct 2010, knuckles68 wrote:Strangely I haven't seen many harlequins this year but I have seen loads of seven spot ladybirds. I live in the south east part of essex and as a gardner I have noticed significantly lower numbers of harlequins this year compared to previous years
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Comment number 8.
At 15:55 23rd Nov 2010, twbad147 wrote:How do i as a student get the results for this year (2010) that i can use in my own investigative project on the matter???
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Comment number 9.
At 14:09 18th Jun 2011, suewoo5678 wrote:Live in Buckinghamshire and just spotted a "four spot harlequin" in my garden on my runner beans (makes a change from black spot) - this is the first one that I have seen. Looked round to see if there were any more but just this one
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Comment number 10.
At 20:45 18th Jun 2011, p blay wrote:a2dom
a very good prog must it stop keep it on all the time .
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