Tuesday 9 April 2013

Ladybird Alert: First Ladybirds (and Gorse Shieldbug) of 2013

*MY FIRST 2013* 7-spot Ladybird, seen on gorse at Minsmere
This is very late for a first sighting. I suspect the cold weather and late Spring has something to do with it! My first 2012 sighting is here for 1 May 2012.
2013: My second 7-Spot

(Coccinella 7-punctata),

seen on the same gorse bush

You can see the proximity of the Ladybird and the Gorse Shieldbug ...

... and here's a close-up of the Gorse Shieldbug.


I spotted a nymph Shieldbug in the same area last year in August; you can see it here. 

I am sending details of the Ladybird sightings to the UK Ladybird Survey. Please do the same if you encounter these insects here in the UK.

3 comments:

Em Parkinson said...

Lucky you! Not a chance here at the moment I'm afraid. Lovely to see.

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

It would be a brave ladybird to venture out in Perthshire at the moment. We're lucky to get 1 day a week with a bit of sunshine and temps in double figures.

www.leavesnbloom.com

Celia Hart said...

It's now 5th June and I have yet to see a Ladybird here in the SW corner or Suffolk... worrying.