Residents across the UK are reporting large swarms of Harlequin ladybirds invading their homes, with hundreds of the insects appearing on walls, windows and doors. The non-native species, known to carry sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), has been spotted in the Midlands, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
Spread and Risks
Harlequin ladybirds are predominantly found in south-east England, but the species has been spreading northwards into the Midlands. They are known carriers of STDs, which are fungal infections that can be seen on the outside of the insect.
Max Barclay, Senior Curator of Beetles at the Natural History Museum, confirmed these diseases cannot be transmitted to humans. He said: "There are a number of species of ladybirds that hibernate in big clusters. Ancestrally harlequin ladybirds would probably have hibernated in big clusters in caves, hollow trees and other sheltered places."
How to Identify and Prevent Infestations
Barclay explained that the fungus forms "little scales on the wing cases on the outside of the ladybird," which can be seen with the naked eye as a yellow crust on parts of the exoskeleton. He reassured the public: "These are not anything to panic about. First off they can't give you diseases, they can't hurt you and they're not going to completely exterminate our native fauna."
To prevent the insects from entering homes, the Natural History Museum advises ensuring doors and windows are properly sealed and insulated. Barclay noted that the ladybirds may try to enter through "small gaps along the edges of loose-fitting windows."
Public Reports
Social media users have shared their experiences, with one person on Reddit writing: "Having to shut every window, vent and door so you don't get bombarded by ladybirds. Damn things are still getting in though." Another user in south Staffordshire said: "Literally every time I go into the kitchen at the moment there's a new ladybird." A third reported: "There were swarms of them this weekend. I'm in West Yorkshire."
One resident in Greater Manchester added: "When I got home from work today my house was covered in them. All over the walls, windows and doors. I've never seen anything like it."
