Millions of ladybirds in Jersey

Millions of ladybirds have been seen swarming across the island

Swarms of ladybirds preparing for hibernation have been seen flying around Jersey recently.

The Jersey Environment Department says the majority are thought to be Harlequin ladybirds which were first reported in the island in 2004.

But Scott Meadows, an insect expert and head of plant health at the Environment Department says ladybirds swarm before hibernation every year.

However, they don't usually swarm in such high numbers.

"Ladybirds do it every year, as light levels drop and temperatures drop, all ladybird species are looking for hibernation sites.

THE HARLEQUIN LADYBIRD The Harlequin Ladybird is... Able to hibernate Able to metamorphose Adapted to flying Aposematic Carnivorous Egg layer More from BBC Wildlife Finder

"As we've had these calm, warm days and we had aggregation, certainly Harlequins, as they begin to hibernate they release pheromones which attract other harlequins into the site.

"That is for breeding purposes as well so that when they emerge in the spring they can begin breading properly," Scott said.

Harlequins are a new invasive breed that were introduced to North America in 1988 to feed on green and black fly.

Scott Meadows has said that people should just leave them alone because they're unlikely to cause problems.

"It is important to say as well that these ladybirds won't create any structural damage, they don't eat wood, they don't eat paper, they don't burrow into brick and they don't widen crevices.

"They are hibernating, that's all their doing is hibernating, so killing small amounts isn't going to make any difference," said Scott.

Name

Your E-mail address

Parish

Comments

The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide.

Terms & Conditions

YOUR COMMENTS

Nick Palmer

Ladybird 'risk to 1,000 species'

Here's a background piece from the BBC that outlines methods of (maybe) combating the Harlequin but I have to say that if they encourage the population growth of the parasitic wasps they mention, the wasps will also take on our native ladybird species too.

Nick Palmer

What a load of dangerous greenwash. About time we had some genuinely environmental voices at P&E instead of these misleading siren calls.

Harlequins are an aggressively invasive species. They are highly like to out-compete, and eventually extinguish, our 46 native (UK) species.

How do P&E's bureaucrats live with themselves when they come out with this ridiculous and misleading "information"?

Check out my blogpost on this topic:

http://nickpalmer.blogspot.com/2009/10/halloween-vs-ugly-bug-ball.html