The 7 spot ladybird is the most recognised ladybird in the UK. It is native here, though its numbers are boosted in the summer by some migratory 7 spots from the continent!
We had a wonderful wander last summer, into some nearby fields where a strip of hedgerow was alive with ladybirds! I took a number of photos, from which I drew this ladybird.
Ladybirds hibernate through the winter months (how sensible) in cracks and crevices, often with lots of friends for protection. It is one of the larger of the British ladybirds, at 6- 8mm long, it is similar in size to the invading harlequin, which can be as big as 8.5mm. The 7 spot is known as the ‘gardener’s friend’ as it eats the sap-sucking aphids. I like to think they are everybodies’ friend. Who doesn’t love a ladybird?
I have also drawn the recent ‘invader’, the harlequin. Originating in Asia, the harlequin ladybirds threaten our own ladybirds as they are a more voracious competitor for aphids. It is also more resistant to parasites.
The original dates back to the 18th Century, here is the modern version of the well-known ladybird poem:
