URGENTLY SEEKING LADYBIRDS- Please check your lorries/ stables

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Spencer93

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I need help! The horsey relevance will become clear :) - URGENTLY SEEKING LADYBIRDS. I am currently involved in some research with the University of Exeter, studying ladybird eggs. We urgently need ladybirds from across the country for use in this study. At this time of year they can frequently be found swarming in huge numbers in old buildings/ churches/ outbuildings. Favourite places often include horse lorries and stable buildings! If any horsey people see swarms in their lorries or friends lorries or at their stables I would be eternally grateful if you could pop them in a Tupperware box, old supplement tub, anything really, and post them down to me (in Falmouth). I will happily reimburse posting costs etc. You would be helping out with an important study led by internationally acclaimed scientists at one of the top conservation biology centres in the world.
 
Will keep a look out. The garden Im working in tomorrow had loads last week but also have large numbers of the American ladybirds (halloween). Did you need those too?
 
Cheers everyone :) Cambrica, its actually those I am looking for. For simplicity purposes I thought it would be easier to ask people to send down anything and I can sort through them but if you have Americans that would be fab. If anyone does manage to get some let me know and I will send you my address etc
 
Ella, they're pretty tough, they won't die in the post :) Bumper, my facebook name is Fleur Pippin Spencer and I'm on post of the horsey pages on facebook
 
Spencer93 said:
Cheers everyone :) Cambrica, its actually those I am looking for. For simplicity purposes I thought it would be easier to ask people to send down anything and I can sort through them but if you have Americans that would be fab. If anyone does manage to get some let me know and I will send you my address etc
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I will see what I can get tomorrow. Why Americans? I don't like them! Find them sort of sinister looking :devilish: Quite a few of them last week were really tatty looking and some are all black except two red dots.
Intrigued as to why you want them ?
 
I can probably help you then. The tenant at work are complaining about a ladybird problem in the offices which as a Landlord (my boss) has got to deal with. So I shall get my Maintenance chap to catch as many ladybirds as he can next week and post them to you.
 
Cambrica- The American is an invasive species. We will be looking at toxicity in their eggs and seeing how this could affect native wildlife when they eat them. Tatty is fine, as is any colour pattern. Greysmeadow, that sounds great, thank you!
 
GlamourPuss86 said:
Google is failing me..

Whats the difference between UK and America ones?

Love ladybugs!
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There are many species of ladybird in this country. Most of native to the UK such as the 2 spot and 7 spot. The American ladybird is most commonly called the Harlequin ladybird in this country and is an invasive species which is having a negative effect on our native ladybird species. If you're interested check out the website www.harlequin-survey.org :)
 
I didn't realise they swarmed at this time of year and I came in wtih one in my hair from the paddock at the weekend and stable neighbour took it out - it was totally black beyond one spot - is that a harlequin? Horse came in with a normal ladybird in his mane :) Will keep an eye out for you - our yard and paddocks seem very good for all sorts of wildlife :)
 
MochaDun said:
I didn't realise they swarmed at this time of year and I came in wtih one in my hair from the paddock at the weekend and stable neighbour took it out - it was totally black beyond one spot - is that a harlequin? Horse came in with a normal ladybird in his mane :) Will keep an eye out for you - our yard and paddocks seem very good for all sorts of wildlife :)
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Harlequins come in all different colours, so do some of the natives. The difference is more due to size and a few other little things. And thanks :)
 
Cool I'll keep my eye out too! I have seen the black with red spot harlequin ladybirds in some random places including on the window of the bureau de change, and on a metal railing in the rain. I haven't seen any for a while but would love to hear more about your study as I am a fellow student of natural sciences!
 
Spencer93 said:
There are many species of ladybird in this country. Most of native to the UK such as the 2 spot and 7 spot. The American ladybird is most commonly called the Harlequin ladybird in this country and is an invasive species which is having a negative effect on our native ladybird species. If you're interested check out the website www.harlequin-survey.org :)
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Those are Asian beetles, not ladybugs. They were introduced here in North America a few years ago and have basically taken over! I hardly ever see normal ladybugs anymore. The nickname Asian Beetles have over here is "stinkbugs" because if you squish them they smell. They also have a vicious bite on them!

If I thought they'd survive the trip and it was legal to send them to you I would! They are swarming here at the moment and there are literally thousands of them everywhere.
 
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Spring Feather said:
Those are Asian beetles, not ladybugs. They were introduced here in North America a few years ago and have basically taken over! I hardly ever see normal ladybugs anymore. The nickname Asian Beetles have over here is "stinkbugs" because if you squish them they smell. They also have a vicious bite on them!

If I thought they'd survive the trip and it was legal to send them to you I would! They are swarming here at the moment and there are literally thousands of them everywhere.
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Its all the same thing, the Asian beetle, 'American' (I know they're not actually American), the Harlequin ladybird and the Halloween ladybird are all the same species :) Its also called the 'Many named ladybird' sometimes. Thanks, I'm pretty sure if you're in America they would either die or be confiscated on the way over :(
 
mandwhy said:
Cool I'll keep my eye out too! I have seen the black with red spot harlequin ladybirds in some random places including on the window of the bureau de change, and on a metal railing in the rain. I haven't seen any for a while but would love to hear more about your study as I am a fellow student of natural sciences!
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Tanks :) Feel free to message me bout the research if you're interested
 
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