I found two species on my walk today, dodging the heavy showers that interrupted the sunny afternoon.
One was a native 7 spot ladybird, the most commonly seen native species in my part of the world. The second is a non-native harlequin, in this variation a paler orange colour with more numerous spots and a white triangle on the head. You also get eye-catching black variants with two large red spots.
The natives emerge first in spring, but as the summer goes on, the harlequins become more numerous, out-competing the native species for food, and eating their eggs and young.
It's rather too late to stop this invader from Asia, however.
Si
All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 20.06.20
Vetch - or Birds' Foot Trefoil - I think in your photographs Si. I have it all over my front lawn this year and have never seen it there before. When we were children we called it Lady's Slippers or Lady's Fingers. I love it.
ReplyDeleteAs for yellow ladybirds - I have never seen one up here - are we too far North or am I just not looking hard enough?
Perhaps the harlequins haven't made it up further North yet?
ReplyDelete