Where are all the ladybirds this year?

[bantamlady]

Has anyone noticed the distinct lack of ladybirds or their grubs this year. Usually the nettles at the bottom of the garden are covered with the grubs or larva of these bugs. So far I have seen just one ladybird and 1 grub. I have also noticed that greenfly and blackfly are in extremely prolific numbers this year. Could one be affecting the others?

What is your experience in this? Have you got a good number of lady bugs or is there a shortage too? Be very interested to find out

Rosie

[StripyPixieSocks]

I had been wondering too... the last two years we have had a Ladybug par-tay in the corner of our kitchen and I mean hundreds of them just sitting there in the corner of the kitchen... I have no idea how they even got in apart from the fact we have a fan which goes through to the outside wall!

This year I have seen just one!

[Millymollymandy]

I haven't seen very many in the last few years and the only ones I've seen have been on the greenfly on my currant bushes, so at least the few that are around are in the right place!

[Odsox]

There seem to be plenty here and have been during the winter as well. I noticed several in the conservatory and polytunnel back in the winter and there seem to be plenty outside now.
I read that there is a shortage of cuckoos in the UK this year, but here there have been more than usual and earlier too ... same with house sparrows, when we moved here there were no sparrows at all, but two years ago we saw our first ones and this year we have them nesting in the shed roof.
So I don't think it's a shortage at all, it's could just be that all these species have moved elsewhere.

[Millymollymandy]

That's interesting to hear about the cuckoos - there are plenty round here and they're cuckoo-ing away all day long. I guess every year is different which is what makes wildlife watching and gardening all the more interesting. Anyone want a colorado beetle? Found one on my spuds this morning (well you can't have it actually as it's a squidged up mess ) but this is only the 2nd time out of 4 times growing spuds that I've had them.

(Those of you in the UK, panic not, you don't have them!).

[lazyspice]

We normally have lots of ladybirds munching away on the greenfly by now but I've not seen a single one so far this year

[Odsox]

That's interesting to hear about the cuckoos - there are plenty round here and they're cuckoo-ing away all day long.

Yes and it's the same here.
It makes me smile that the BBC and the RSPB report this as if the species are just about extinct, when in actual fact they are just avoiding the UK for some reason.
The story is here .. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8070021.stm
The bird life (including the ladybird) is thriving here with Herring Gulls, Cuckoos and Sparrows .. all on the UK "Red List"

[Millymollymandy]

That's interesting to hear about the cuckoos - there are plenty round here and they're cuckoo-ing away all day long.

Yes and it's the same here.
It makes me smile that the BBC and the RSPB report this as if the species are just about extinct, when in actual fact they are just avoiding the UK for some reason.
The story is here .. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8070021.stm
The bird life (including the ladybird) is thriving here with Herring Gulls, Cuckoos and Sparrows .. all on the UK "Red List"

Lapwings on the list!! I don't see them in summer but the last two winters there have been tons of them flocked in the fields and even just sit on the verges by the side of the road - really common! But before that I never saw (or noticed, but I think I would have noticed) them.

[thesunflowergal]

Hubby and I were just talking about this earlier, neither of us have seen any ladybirds or wasps this year!!

[bantamlady]

Now the wasps bit I don't mind in the least! I hate wasps, I think God put them here as part of a warped sense of humour! Flies do the rubbish disposal, spiders and hover flies do the pest disposal, bees do the pollination, so why on earth do we need wasps, they sting for the hell of it, bees only as a last resort!

[thesunflowergal]

Now the wasps bit I don't mind in the least! I hate wasps, I think God put them here as part of a warped sense of humour! Flies do the rubbish disposal, spiders and hover flies do the pest disposal, bees do the pollination, so why on earth do we need wasps, they sting for the hell of it, bees only as a last resort!

I totally agree with you there!! On the other hand I have never seen so many bees in my garden.

[pumpy]

We have bees-a-plenty right now, enough bloody cuckoos to send you "cuckoo", we're just getting over a infestation of maybugs (how do they know what month it is?), hornets all over the ruddy place, greenfly swarming everywhere, but no ladybirds..... tho' oddly enough there were loads of 'em about during that cold spell in Febuary.

[Millymollymandy]

Someone on my local Freecycle is asking for ladybirds!!! Says she'll come and collect them.

[the.fee.fairy]

Now you mention it,there are a lot less here thisyear too.

I could do with one to come and live in my office - even though it is an indoor plant, my desk plant has been attacked by greenfly - i keep finding aphids and squashing them - how did they get there?!

[rockchick]

We too are having a nightmare with blackfly and the greenfly are particularly annoying - can't walk outside without getting covered in them! I haven't really noticed any ladybirds. Probably next year will be all ladybirds and no black/green fly!