Ladybirds?

Hi. With the insect population in decline I was only just thinking that I have not seen one ladybird this summer. Not one.

In previous years there have been quite a few - including an invasion at one stage (even if most seemed to be the non native British species - as far as I could tell from the id websites).
At this time of year I would generally find them making their way inside the house to over-winter.

But they are nowhere to be seen. Not outside nor in.

How has the ladybird count been like for you guys this summer? Normal?

 

I do have quite a few eating Black Fly on my Runner Beans.
Most years they appear too late to do much good.

 

In the past they were very common here and you'd see several every day, but over the last decade they have declined. Some years I don't see any at all but this year I have seen three. Last year I only saw one.
Butterflies the same, they are much less common now ... and Grasshoppers, well I haven't seen one of those for years It's very sad.

 

Lady birds are around here but very close to nonexistent these days.
I agree grass hoppers are a thing of the past and has been for some years.
Even craneflies are in short supply, and you never used to be able to leave windows open and lights on without getting inundated with moths.
Aphids seem to have it mostly to them selves.
I did see a couple of earwigs yesterday, only two i have seen all summer.

 

Loads of ladybird larvae and ladybirds in my garden this year, more than ever!

Nick

 

I saw a lot of harlequin larvae on a wall about 2 months ago. There was at least two hundred of them.

 

Hi @Weedstoo

Think you highlight the case to make the garden even more diverse and wildlife friendly with things like bug hotels, pond/water feature, more single open type flowers and more wild planting etc etc.

In the past if a plant was infected with black or green fly we would use a spray, but now just leave it and as they multiply then the ladybirds and similar will be attracted to that plant.
It may mean you loose the odd stem of a plant but you then have an inbuilt bug control for the rest of the season.

 

Thinking back my broad beans were smothered in blackfly and I held off spraying.
The situation just got worse and worse, i can't remember seeing any lady birds on the beans or larvae .

In the end I resorted to soapy water but that was only partially successful as within the week they were back as thick as ever.

 

They must all be in your garden then. Haha.

Whereabouts are you located? I am thinking climate and "greenery".

This is probably the first year EVER that I have not seen one ladybird at all and it is highly unlikely that any are going to suddenly turn up bearing in mind it is already barely in double figures (c).
Winter is coming.

 

Last year I had a few 7 spotteds, as well as a few harlequins...

 

Ladybirds everywhere this year...❤️
Including Seven Spotted's..

 

I have lots of grasshoppers in my neighbours front garden and my lavender...
Can hear them rubbing away most evenings as the sun is getting lower

 

That's good, I used to like hear them chirping away on warm summer days.

 

Lots of grasshoppers in my garden. They jump around whenever I'm pottering outside. I love the sound they make.

Plenty of ladybirds too, I've needed them with all the blackfly on the beans and dahlias this year.

 

I have only seen 1 ladybird this year. Hiding in a hens-and-chicks/sempervivum on one of the few dry sunny days we have had.

Perhaps the cold and rainy summer has kept them away. 23 days into July and we have not yet had a 24-hour period without rain and the temperature has barely touched 15°c on most days.