Brits have reported baffling 'swarms' of ladybirds flocking to windows and walls this week, with some households invaded by hundreds of the tiny insects. Social media users described the phenomenon as akin to 'flying ant day,' with one posting on X: 'I don’t know what’s going on but there’s loads of ladybirds outside casually swarming around my house!'
Experts say there is no cause for alarm. The sudden surge in sightings is due to the insects' annual autumn migration, as they search for warm, sheltered places to hibernate through the winter. Professor Helen Roy of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology explained: 'Winter is a tough time for ladybirds in Britain... At this time of year they are moving around to find a good place to overwinter.' Warm early October days trigger them to fly in search of cosy spots, often leading them indoors.
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology advises against harming the ladybirds. If they become a nuisance, the recommendation is to 'gather them gently into a box and put them in an outbuilding' or leave them undisturbed. Harlequin ladybirds, a non-native species that arrived in 2004, are highly adaptable and come in various colour forms, from orange with black spots to almost black with red spots.
While these ladybirds can carry parasites and a sexually transmitted disease, experts stress they are harmless to humans. Max Barclay, Senior Curator of Beetles at the Natural History Museum, noted that the disease appears as a yellow crust on the wing cases, visible to the naked eye. So, while it may feel like an invasion, it is simply a natural sign that autumn has arrived.
