Ladybird Invasion

[dustypuss]

Has anyone else having a ladybird invasion.. I've got hundreds of them all over the house and in the house. York

 

[naomi24]

Yes, and they come here to hibernate every year.  Pile themselves up in a dark corner above a cupboard - and once they're spotted go up the hoover.  When we first moved here I opened a set of double doors leading to the garden only to find thousands of them jammed into the hinge side of one of the doors.  I can't understand why they keep coming back.  As far as I know they only live for about a year.  Could it be a kind if 'homing' instinct that's passed on from generation to generation?

[Barmaid]

We do not have any in the house yet so far as I am aware and I did a fairly deep clean on Saturday.  But there are 100s gathering on the house wall outside.

[maggiebee]

Oh, you're so lucky, haven't seen a ladybird this year and they're great at getting rid of aphids.  Mind you, sounds like you have overkill.

[Buenchico]

I've not seen any around here (in Suffolk) lately.

I recall, about 30 years ago, being in Hunstanton with my father when the skies completely darkened as vast numbers of them arrived on the seafront.  It was impossible to avoid standing on them because there were several thousand on every single paving slab, across the full width of the promenade, for about a quarter of a mile in length. It was an amazing site, which reminded me of videos I've seen of swarms of locusts arriving in farmers' fields overseas.

[barry1010]

That may have been the same time I witnessed a wedding taking place during a ladybird invasion, Buen.

Bridal cars were covered in them, the bride's dress was a ladybird magnet and the church yard paths looked like they were covered in ladybird confetti.

It was a scene befitting a Hitchcock movie.

 

[naomi24]

Does anyone know if they have a 'homing' instinct that's passed from generation to generation?  If not why on earth do they come every year and head for the same spot in my utility room?

[Countrylover]

Rather ladybirds than the cluster flies that are plaguing  us.  The ladybirds usually come with them, but not this year.......yet!  I don't mind the ladybirds but Mr Lottie is bust with t he small vacuum cleaner  about 5 times a day murdering the cluster flies.

[Countrylover]

Busy, not bust

 

Cluster flies have such a loud buzz!

[Countrylover]

https://www.google.com/search?q=cluster+flies+uk&oq=cluster&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqEggDEAAYFBiDARiHAhixAxiABDIMCAAQRRg5GLEDGIAEMgYIARBFGDwyCQgCEC4YJxiKBTISCAMQABgUGIMBGIcCGLEDGIAEMg0IBBAA

GIMBGLEDGIAEMgoIBRAAGLEDGIAEMg0IBhAAGIMBGLEDGIoFMg0IBxAAGIMBGLEDGIAEMgcICBAAGIAEMgcICRAAGIAE0gEINTUyMWowajeoAgCwAgA&client=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#vhid=ygbDmSqH_SHfOM&vssid=l

[Countrylover]

Damn links!

[Barmaid]

Countrylover, I know what you mean about cluster flies. They drive us potty.

[Countrylover]

Chris, we were at Sheringham on that day!

[Redhelen72]

Oh can I have some please?

I love bishy barnabees

[Hazlinny]

18.33 Countrylover/  This what Buenchico advised  ....

anyone tell  me how to keep link within box?"

It's a quirk of AB's new design, Hazlinny.  There's currently no direct way to keep a long link inside the box.  However you can either
(a) manually remove the unnecessary clutter from the link before posting it (by deleting the '?' and everything that follows it) ; or
(b) use Tinyurl.com to shorten the link for you: https://tinyurl.com/app

[pastafreak]

What are cluster flies?

Haven't seen hardly any ladybirds all year here. But I don't have a garden. I wouldn't mind a few...They get rid of any indoor plant pests. You can actually buy them online for that purpose. 

[New Judge]

I recall, about 30 years ago, being in Hunstanton with my father when the skies completely darkened as vast numbers of them arrived on the seafront. 

My sister lives in Hunstanton, Chris, and remembers that occasion very well. I think it was in either 1994 or 95, soon after she moved there. Apparently people were shovelling them up out of their greenhouses and sheds. She did a bit of research and the phenomenon is quite common in Norfolk, especially near the coast. It seems the long hot summer of 1976  was the worst year but there was a similar invasion in 2009. It is said that prolonged hot weather increases the chances but there was not an unusually high number last year, when the summer was indeed long and hot.

[Tilly2]

We were in Cromer. It was amazing to see but very irritating!