Ladybirds don’t tend to cause harm and will usually fly away on their own after a short time. However, if they have chosen your home as somewhere to hibernate, an infestation can be a huge inconvenience as there may be hundreds of ladybirds appearing at one time, which is a rather alarming sight! DIY methods of removing these sorts of infestations are often ineffective and inhumane, so it’s best to get in touch with a professional pest control service and let them carry out a full treatment of the affected area. Woodlands are the favoured habitat of cream-spot ladybirds but it can be found in gardens and other habitats too where it feeds on aphids and psyllids. Harlequins were introduced into mainland Europe from Asia, to control plant pests. They appeared in Britain in 2004, and seem able to thrive here, possibly outcompeting some native ladybird species. Adalia bipunctata is a native ladybird which can be found all over Europe. It finds its way in a pretty extensive range of living areas and feeds on different aphid species. Kidney-spot ladybirds are closely related to pine ladybirds and have a similar overall shape but with only one red spot, centrally placed, on each wing case. This species can be found on many deciduous trees but is commonly associated with ash trees and can be easily observed when foraging for scale insects on the trunk or branches of ash trees.

Professor Helen Roy is an ecologist at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, and runs the UK Ladybird Survey. She provides her expertise on these fascinating insects: Why do ladybirds have spots?In 2004 the harlequin ladybird was first seen in the UK. It is a large aphid-feeding ladybird that had been introduced from Asia to many other countries as a biological control agent. Never intentionally introduced into the UK it arrived in many different ways including on produce. It varies in colour but there are three main forms found in the UK. As gardeners we have good reason to try to attract and look after these beautiful creatures. For one thing ladybirds eat aphids, plant lice and greenflies; one ladybird can eat thousands of pests during its lifetime of approximately one year beginning while it is still only a larva. It is recommended that you release the adult Ladybirds in the morning or evening if applying indoors, or when windows and vents are closed for a few hours.

Ladybirds do not sting, but may bite if they are in the vicinity of humans and do not have anything else to feed on. This is very uncommon, however, and ladybird bites rarely cause a significant reaction.

Where is the best place to put an insect hotel?

Ladybirds often huddle together over winter sometimes in very high numbers and sometimes in small groups. As soon as the day length increases in late winter and early spring the ladybirds begin to stir but they often return to the group at the end of the day until the temperatures increase. British wildlife is under threat. The animals and plants that make our island unique are facing a fight to survive. Hedgehog habitats are disappearing, porpoises are choking on plastic and ancient woodlands are being paved over. Once the kit arrives, make up the paper base in the breeding tub, then tip the case of larvae and food on top, nothing more needs to be done!