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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: redimp on April 03, 2005, 21:16:50

Title: Ladybird type things
Post by: redimp on April 03, 2005, 21:16:50
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  :)
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: tim on April 04, 2005, 07:24:22
Anything like MD's below??
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: GREENWIZARD on April 04, 2005, 07:39:46
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/GREENWIZARD/harleqin.bmp)
did they look anything like this one?
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: redimp on April 04, 2005, 16:06:00
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.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Svea on April 04, 2005, 17:20:50
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 (http://www.naturalworldtours.co.uk/articles2003/june/june2803.htm)
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Svea on April 04, 2005, 17:25:33
the one i saw was more like this one:

(http://www.museums.org.za/bio/images/enb3/enb03722.jpg)
called the african ladybird (Cheilomenes lunata)


or this one: http://www.cirrusimage.com/Beetles/ladybird_05.jpg
friend or foe?
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: gavin on April 04, 2005, 22:06:45
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
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: MagpieDi on April 04, 2005, 22:56:40
Hi Clanger

My beasties weren't ladybird shape, more vine weevil in size and shape.  Good luck with your search !
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: redimp on April 06, 2005, 12:54:18
Hope I get this right and a photo of my beetle thingy appears below.

(http://uk.msnusers.com/0qfhoe5cnal86h6hkjqd9q20m4/Documents/Beetle%20Thingy.jpg)
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: janebb on April 09, 2005, 20:04:53
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.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Roy Bham UK on April 09, 2005, 20:56:55
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
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Yellow Petals on April 11, 2005, 13:25:50
Harlequin Ladybirds?  Anything but nice!

(http://www.uksafari.com/jpeg2/ladyharlequin2.jpg)


http://www.uksafari.com/ladybirdharlequin2.htm
http://www.uksafari.com/ladybirdharlequin.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4348881.stm
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Kazum on April 12, 2005, 21:23:12
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??
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: BAGGY on April 12, 2005, 21:38:00
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.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Tulipa on April 12, 2005, 21:40:08
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.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Bun on April 13, 2005, 11:28:37
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.  :)
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Mrs Ava on April 13, 2005, 15:33:59
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
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: GREENWIZARD on April 15, 2005, 15:49:38
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/GREENWIZARD/o.bmp)
could it be the lily beetle you saw?
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: BAGGY on April 15, 2005, 16:57:58
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.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: redimp on April 15, 2005, 17:54:38
(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/GREENWIZARD/o.bmp)
could it be the lily beetle you saw?
Right sort of shape - do their coulurs vary - if nto it looks a bit too red.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Mrs Ava on April 29, 2005, 23:31:57
I believe the lilly beetle tastes YUCK when birdies try to eat them.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: kenkew on April 30, 2005, 08:10:03
Can't see any of the pics but by the description, could they be fire bugs? ( More than one sort.) Lots of them round here, I'll try to pic some.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: the_snail on May 01, 2005, 06:26:42
Is it the six spot bernet

Its a long shot

Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: the_snail on May 01, 2005, 06:27:35
PS We cannto see ya pic sorry :D
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: the_snail on May 01, 2005, 06:28:24
Blooming cannto *cannot*  ::)
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: kenkew on May 12, 2005, 14:44:22
Got the pic on a walkabout this morning of the Firebug.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/Kenkew/15FirebugMay05.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/Kenkew/14FirebugMay05.jpg)
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Multiveg on May 16, 2005, 11:34:34
On the hazelnut plants, there were a few types of the 2-spot, and a 10-spot type as well as an orange 14-spot. I took a few pictures because I wasn't sure what sort they were (hoped they weren't harlequins). A number of them were "at it" - there were 4 couples I spotted in less than a minute! The shield bugs were "at it" last week on the currant bushes.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Multiveg on May 17, 2005, 13:26:40
A little selection of ladybird pics  ;D

(http://www.btinternet.com/~miagriffiths/ladybirdmontage2.jpg)

A full size version can be found at http://www.btinternet.com/~miagriffiths/ladybirdmontage.jpg
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: gavin on May 17, 2005, 20:40:32
Wow - nice one, multiveg!

All best - Gavin
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: Multiveg on May 17, 2005, 23:07:37
The normal 2-spotted ones were "at it" again today - didn't see my black one or the 14-spot today though.
Title: Re: Ladybird type things
Post by: redimp on May 18, 2005, 17:47:09
Still can't see mine anywhere - there are less of them in the traps now and more slugs.
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