Ladybird swarm descends on farm

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It is thought the ladybirds were attracted by aphids at the farm

A giant swarm of ladybirds has descended on a farm in Somerset.

It is estimated around 10 million of the insects may have landed at the farm in Coombe Saint Nicholas, near Chard.

The farm's owners told BBC News at times they had covered almost every inch of the farm, including walls and machinery.

The site grows living eco-roofing, which attracts aphids, which in turn was thought to be attracting all the ladybirds.

A spokesman for the BBC's Natural History Unit said: "Ladybirds will aggregate at certain times of the year.

"But this is quite an unusual event in one place for millions to gather. I have seen millions on the wing in the US and it is a sight to behold.

"Aggregations are commonly seen from autumn through to spring in the UK but it has been a good summer so I imagine this has helped ladybirds increase their numbers."