Ladybird surveys in the north of England

NoELS

NB: this is a temporary page to provide information on surveys of ladybirds in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire - or anywhere else in northern England - tomorrow the world. 

At present this is an informal grouping of members of the Sorby Natural History Society, Derby Natural History Society and Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Entomological Society. It is not intended as competition with local societies and recorders nor with the national survey. All records submitted to us will be copied to the national ladybird survey and to local recorders, and vice versa.  Hopefully we can provide useful extra methods of data entry, assistance and advice. We should also be able to map ladybirds on a regional scale.

Why?

Ladybirds are a well-loved group of insects and their study has intrinsic scientific interest.  However, an exotic ladybird Harmonia axyridis, the multivariate or harlequin ladybird, has recently established in Britain.  It is possible that this voracious ladybird is a threat to native ladybirds and other insects. It is therefore important to monitor its spread and the effect it is having on local species.  To achieve this we need to keep records of the common ladybirds, while they are still common.  This can be done by anyone with a little patience!

Submitting records

Observations can be submitted on-line at any (but not all) of the following:
The UK ladybird survey
The harlequin ladybird survey
The Essex ladybird survey
NoELS e-group

Otherwise records or pictures can be sent to your local entomologist (listing to follow) or by e-mail to me:  peter-mabbott@supanet.com Please contact me if you wish to send specimens.

The basic information required: the name of the species, the numbers present, date seen and location (grid reference or post code) and, of course who found and identified it.

NB:  Please submit your records to any one of the above but not more than one of them: we exchange records and have to sort out any duplications!  Thanks.

Identification

There are several photographic galleries on the internet including:
London ladybird survey
UK ladybird survey
Leicestershire ladybird survey
If you have difficulties, then send pictures to me, another entomologist or post them on the e-group. 

Harmonia axyridis - the harlequin, multivariate or hallowe'en ladybird

This Asian species arrived in UK in the summer of 2004 and has since established large populations in SE England, especially London. It is a hardy species, being found in Siberia, so it should have no difficulty colonising northern England and Scotland.  During 2005, the only large colony outside of the SE has been in Derby although there have been isolated finds in Bury and Staffordshire. The Derby colony has spread as far north as Belper.
The national distribution map is regularly up-dated.  Bill Grange has written up the arrival of the beast in Derby.   It is a very variable species being either red with 0 to 23 black spots or black with two or more red patches - variants are pictured on the UK and London sites - it is important not to harm native species!  The 'harlequin' is as large or larger than the common 7-spot ladybird (5-8 mms long) and always has white down the whole of the sides of the forebody (pronotum): more details are given on the other web-sites.
 

LAST MODIFIED 31.i.2006
CREATED 28.i.2006