Brian's Nature Diary for June 2008
‘Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,
Your house is on fire, and your children are gone’.
So goes the old children’s rhyme, which of course refers to the much-loved tiny beast still found relatively commonly in our gardens and in the wider countryside. So far as the garden is concerned there are two or three kinds which are likely to be seen. Of the red-and-black species the two- and seven-spotted are by far the commonest. Nowadays the larger harlequin ladybird is likely to be seen also. This is very much a new kid on the block, and has colonized our country from the continent, within the past few years. It has the reputation of being a bit of a thug, attacking and killing our native species, instead of concentrating on aphids and other perceived garden nasties.
In all about 25 species of ladybirds may be found in these islands, some of them far from common. They have a variety of lifestyles, most being predators that we welcome as pest-control officers in our gardens, to others which are strictly vegetarian. Several specialize in living on the small insects of pine trees and other conifers, including one which has reversed what we think of as being the standard colour scheme, being all black with bright red spots on it.
Many people claim to have been bitten by a ladybird, and it is very hard to persuade them otherwise. When you question them about the event, it will invariably have happened on a hot summer day, perhaps when working hard in the garden, and perspiring as a result. A ladybird lands, say on the back of the hand, and finds itself in a pool of salty sweat. It doesn’t like this very much (would you?) and defends itself by going in for a bit of reflex bleeding. This sounds very painful, but all it means is that it exudes an acrid yellow liquid from around the edges of its body. This is strongly irritant, and it is this that gives the sensation of pain.
While most insects go in for subdued colours and patterns that help them to melt into their surroundings, almost all ladybirds are brightly coloured. These are meant to warn would-be predators that they are not good to eat, and they taste foul. For this to work a ladybird has to be sacrificed to all small birds striking out in the big wide world for the first time. They experiment with many food sources, but generally only try one ladybird. The nasty taste means for most that once is more than enough. I have seen a young blue tit almost spit out a ladybird with obvious distaste, and then go in for a vigorous bout of bill-wiping along a twig to clean itself.
Ladybirds and their larvae don’t just confine themselves to eating greenfly and other aphids. They will seize and eat any small soft-bodied creature that is daft enough to stand still. We have in our collection several pictures of a ladybird eating a spider nearly as large as itself. Definitely a case of the biter bit?
Environmental tip of the month: to protect delicate plants in your garden from the attentions of slugs, put a ring of finely-crushed eggshells around them. The slugs don’t like the sharp edges.
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