MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Between the deluges of rain we're still getting the odd spot of warm sunshine which seems to be bringing out a plethora of ladybirds intent on moving into the house.
Seems more than I've noted in previous autumn's.
Lots of orange spotted ones too as well as some black ones. Even saw an orange one without spots that looked like half a baked bean.
Anyone else noticed an increase this year?
Yes! We have a south facing back garden and when the sun heats up the back it's like a plague. All sorts of different colours and spot configurations.
Remember a couple of years ago we must have had hundreds hibernating in the loft and in spring they started coming through the spot lights in the bathroom. Started out by catching and releasing but one day got so bad that I had to use a vacuum to clear them. Messy.
My parents' house regularly gets literally thousands of them swarming on a particular wall up by the eaves. They are there currently I am informed. No idea why they choose to do this, maybe the temperature of the wall or the direction it faces but they always go to the same area.
We get loads most years. 1 sunny warm day about 3 weeks ago our south facing wall had 1000’s on it. Gone the next day
Harlequin ladybirds aka "Halloween bugs" in the US because of their swarming habit in late Autumn
Most likely Harlequins ( https://www.rhs.org.uk/biodiversity/harlequin-ladybird) rather than natives unfortunately.
Edit - what @timba said
Sat on a bench yesterday to adjust my cleats and found loads of them going about their business
Crazy around here (edge of Peak District) - never know anything like it.