The Ladybird thread (16 Viewers)

[Larry Sweetland]

Not a new one but a new experience: I found a Dot Ladybird by visual search for the first time today. Previous finds have all been using a net. This one was a surprise find on the underside of a leaf of a large willow tree along the Wye west of Hereford.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Presume fairly regular(NELondon), however I’ve not seen one before, some sort of Harlequin?

Cheers

Yes, looks like one 👍

 

[Larry Sweetland]

View attachment 1520597

Apps are saying kidney spot for this. Do any of you wise folks agree?

Not seen the larva before but sure looks like Kidney-spot to me. Don't think anything else is that spiky. Good find 👍

 

[Larry Sweetland]

I discovered yesterday that the pines around Beaulieu Rd station in the New Forest are a pine-specialist ladybird goldmine! 40 mins with a net produced a lifer (18-spot Ladybird), plus 5 Striped Ladybirds, a Cream-streaked Ladybird and an incredible 77 Pine Scymnus!

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Ladybird #36 for the year was a Heather Ladybird, at Upton Heath near Poole today. Only my 2nd ever Heather Ladybird, and found in the same area of pine-studded heathland as the other one last year.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Sweep-netting chalk grassland at Martin Down today produced a surprise Schmidt's Scymnus ( species #38 for life, and # 37 for the year) assuming I got the ID right. Images on UK ladybirds Facebook group.

Also found an Angle-spotted Scymnus, but few other ladybirds.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Highlights from ladybirding the dunes at Studland today were an 11-spot ("ringed" form), a Scarce 7-spot, eight Heather, one Red Marsh, five Striped, and six Pine Scymnus

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Just spent literally 5 mins in our small Bristol back garden tapping small fruit trees and honeysuckle into a small sweep net and it produced a Red-flanked Scymnus, a Dot Ladybird and a Forestier's Rhyzobius. Inconspicuous ladybirds are everywhere! If you're into ladybirds and haven't tried this yet give it a go!

 

[Larry Sweetland]

Two 18-spot ladybirds found in a pine in Greenbank Cemetery (Bristol) was new for patch today. Patch now on 30 spp.

 

[Larry Sweetland]

2 Bryony Ladybirds found in Benson, Oxfordshire today (#39, and 38 for year). In white Bryony along St Helen's Ave, on the south side of the rd, immediately to the right of the entrance to the allotments.