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LADYBIRD

Have a Chemical Free Garden              

Try to avoid or minimise the use of chemicals in your garden.

A wildlife friendly garden will develop its own natural control   for pests and diseases.

Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)

Common Ladybird

Seven-spot ladybirds are widespread and common in Britain and are beneficial to organic gardeners because they are insectivores, consuming aphids, fruit flies, thrips and other tiny plant-sucking insects that damage crops.  In fact, their name is derived from "Beetle of Our Lady," recognising their role in saving crops from destruction.

I'm looking at you

A ladybird can see in different directions all at once.  Their eyes are called Compound Eyes. They have eyes shaped like a hexagon with a lens in each one which acts  like a separate eye to them.

Colour

Ladybirds are brightly coloured to ward away potential predators.  This defence works because most predators associate bright colours (especially orange and black) with poison and other unpleasant properties.  This phenomenon is called aposematism.  Most ladybirds are toxic to smaller predators such as small birds.  Adult ladybirds are able to reflex-bleed from their leg joints, releasing their oily yellow toxin with a strong repellent smell.

An unwelcome invader

A new ladybird has arrived in Britain.  The Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) an unwelcome invader!

Asian multi-colored ladybird

This ladybird is an Asian species which was introduced into America 25 years ago to fight aphids.  However, this ladybird also poses a deadly threat to butterflies, lacewings and many other beneficial ladybirds since it eats the eggs and larvae of these beneficial garden insects.