BEACHGOERS have been left scrambling to their vehicles, after a swarm of ladybirds descended on the UK.
A string of heatwaves have hit the nation so far this year, bringing scorching temperatures and droughts.
The UK is seeing the biggest swarm of ladybirds since 1976[/caption]
Beachgoers in Weston Super Mare were left covered in the beetles[/caption]
Ladybirds like to forage in coastal areas[/caption]
And the hot weather has also brought with it the biggest swarm of ladybirds since 1976.
Social media clips show huge plagues of the red beetles invading the beaches of Western Super Mare, crawling over tourists and coating cars.
Horrified sun-seekers raced to their motors, clambered inside and shut the doors, to avoid the stream.
The bugs have all been seen flocking to a restaurant in the popular tourist destination, landing on tables, customers and dinner plates.
Meanwhile, residents of the South East reported seeing “millions” of ladybirds, with researches explaining that they like to forage in coastal areas.
“There was loads flying about,” one resident said.
“One landed on my face and other ones were landing on my dogs.”
This comes after England’s third test match against India was stopped last week, due to a swarm of ladybirds attacking the cricketers.
England’s vice-captain Ollie Pope said of the incident: I’ve never seen that, no.”
“That’s a first that the crowd have got that today.”
Ecologist and ladybird specialist, Professor Helen Roy from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said of the large swarms: “Many species of aphid-feeding ladybird such as the seven-spot ladybird are being seen in very high numbers this year.
“This is a consequence of the high aphid numbers and warm weather. People are reporting many sightings to the UK Ladybird Survey through iRecord, which is fantastic.
“If people want to help insects and other wildlife in this weather they can leave shallow dishes with a little water for them. Also, we encourage people to leave the aphids in their garden on roses and other plants so there is plenty of food for ladybirds.”
Tim Coulson, a professor of zoology and head of biology at the University of Oxford, encouraged people to “learn to love” ladybirds.
Why are ladybirds swarming the UK?
The UK is currently experiencing a significant surge in ladybird populations, primarily due to a combination of warm weather and an abundance of their main food source: aphids. Warm temperatures speed up the life cycles of insects, including both aphids and ladybirds, leading to faster reproduction and increased numbers. This creates a plentiful food supply for ladybirds, allowing their populations to swell.
Ladybirds play a crucial role in the ecosystem as natural predators of aphids, which can be a major pest for plants. This isn’t the first time the UK has seen such a remarkable ladybird boom; similar high numbers were recorded in the summer of 1976, one of the hottest and driest on record. This historical context highlights the strong link between sustained warm weather, high aphid populations, and the resulting increase in native ladybird numbers.
He said: “Warm weather means more aphids because they can complete each generation faster – insects, including ladybirds and aphids, tend to speed up their lives in warm weather.
“Ladybirds eat aphids, and an abundance of aphids means ladybirds have a lot to eat.
“People should learn to love the ladybirds. They are effective predators of aphids, which can be a major pest of many plant species.
“Much in the way that wolves keep deer numbers in check in some parts of the world, ladybirds keep aphid numbers down.
“A swarm of ladybirds in a cricket game, even against India, should remind people of the role that predators play in keeping the ecology of Earth in a healthy state.”
Dr Peter Brown, an associate professor in ecology and conservation at Anglia Ruskin University, revealed that the last year lady bird number were this high was in the summer of 1976, one of the hottest and driest on record.
He said: “In 1976, there were a lot of seven-spot ladybirds on the beaches as they searched for food and people thought they were invading – they were not, as they are native to the UK.”
According to the British Entomological and Natural History Society, over 23 billion ladybirds swarmed the southern and eastern coasts of England that summer.
The hot weather has caused the influx of ladybirds[/caption]
Beachgoers fled to their cars to escape the bugs[/caption]
