Ladybird type things

[redimp]

In my slug pubs I had some negative ladybirds (red spots on black)  They also have slightly longer pointier bodies.  Are they ladybirds and if so, how do I keep them from drowning on Tesco's Value Bitter (poor taste).

Oh I did have a couple of slugs as well  :)

[redimp]

[tim]

Anything like MD's below??

[GREENWIZARD]

did they look anything like this one?

[redimp]

Possibly like MD's shape wize but cannot be sure - bit difficult to make out.  Mine were about 4mm wide and a little bit longer.  Definitley more pointy than GreenWizard's.

I will try and get a photo next time I am up.

[Svea]

i too have found them, inverted ladybirds. black where red should be, and red where normal lady birds have black spots.

not like greenwizards picture at all.

also interested to know the answer :)

edit: hmm, interesting article here

[Svea]

the one i saw was more like this one:


called the african ladybird (Cheilomenes lunata)


or this one: http://www.cirrusimage.com/Beetles/ladybird_05.jpg
friend or foe?

[gavin]

Any help?  http://www.ladybird-survey.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/londonla.htm

I found a yellow ladybird yesterday - too small to count the spots on it, though, so I'm none the wiser :(

All best Gavin

[MagpieDi]

Hi Clanger

My beasties weren't ladybird shape, more vine weevil in size and shape.  Good luck with your search !

[redimp]

Hope I get this right and a photo of my beetle thingy appears below.

[janebb]

I found two black "ladybirds" with red spots on my camellia last week.  I hoped they were goodies and eating the scale insects so left them alone.  I hope I did the right thing.

[Roy Bham UK]

I found this about the nasty foreign ladybirds that eat our ladybirds if there is not enough food about, be careful which ones you squish because they are similar to one of our goody ones. :o

This link allows you to consult an expert to define the goodies from the baddies :o ;D

http://www.just-green.com/BreakingNews.asp

[Yellow Petals]

Harlequin Ladybirds?  Anything but nice!




http://www.uksafari.com/ladybirdharlequin2.htm
http://www.uksafari.com/ladybirdharlequin.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4348881.stm

[Kazum]

Yes I too have come across an inverted ladybird as you describe ... so have we decided what they are yet?  And is it my imagination or are there tons of normal ladybirds around at the moment - I'm new to allotments so maybe I just haven't been in the right place before now to see 'em!

I seem to remember there was a ladybird plague in '76 - could this be an early sign??

[BAGGY]

My neice counted 96,collected in a marg pot the other weekend in the space of about half an hour.  We made her put them on the broad beans.

[Tulipa]

I have seen more ladybirds for this time of year than ever before, I don't know why.  I remember in 1976 going to an outdoor pool and the water becoming covered in them while we were swimming and when we went home the gutters in the road were just absolutlely full of them.  They bit us too.

[Bun]

I remember that too. But I also remember that it followed an aphid glut & as we haven't had one of those, (well, no more than usual) I just think it's been a good winter for ladybirds.  :)

[Mrs Ava]

We had loads of ladybirds last year, and again this.  They seem to be everywhere, much to the kids delight.  When they gather them up, I deposit them in the greenhouse.  Well, every little helps!  ;D

[GREENWIZARD]

could it be the lily beetle you saw?

[BAGGY]

I don't get it.  How can such a nice looking beetle create do so much munching ?  I wondered are they poisonous to birds as they don't seem very camouflaged ?  or are they just well 'ard.

[redimp]

could it be the lily beetle you saw?

Right sort of shape - do their coulurs vary - if nto it looks a bit too red.