anyone else noticed loads of ladybird larvae??

[norfolklass]

my garden is full of them, not that I'm complaining!
even spotted one inside my plastic greenhouse this morning, so my seedlings should be safe ;D

but:
I was wondering if Mother Nature knows something I don't and we're in for a plague of aphids...
or is it just down to the unusually dry and hot weather we've been having?

[norfolklass]

[manicscousers]

wish we could bring some to our plot..I've only managed to find 3 ladybirds, no larvae as yet..but loads of greenfly..no doubt the ladybirds'll be along soon  :)

[nippie]

I'm ashamed to say I don't know what ladybird larvae look like  :-[

[Robert_Brenchley]

A great many will have come through the mild winter, and we'll probably be in for swarms of them if we have a good summer.

[nippie]

Sooo what do they look like???? please!

[okra]

They are doing a good job on the blackfy

[nippie]

Haven't got any blackfy ;)
What do they look like?

[Robert_Brenchley]

http://www.offwell.free-online.co.uk/mystery/jul04_ans.htm

[Carol]

What doooooooooo   they look like???? 

[nippie]

http://www.offwell.free-online.co.uk/mystery/jul04_ans.htm

Ooooh well I never, I can honestly say I have never seen any of those.
Still at least we know now Carol, you live and learn  ::)

[Carol]

Thanks Robert,  now I know.... ::) ::)

[cambourne7]

not seen any of them  :'(

[jeanaustin]

We've also got lots more ladybird larvae than usual this year on the allotment and in the garden. 

[froglets]

This year they have suddenly appeared everywhere & are now pupating all over the palce in full view.  I have been relocating the larvae I accidentaly knock off when weeding & been surprised at how fast they move.

[njerowles]

Not noticed any larvae yet - but there are lots of ladybirds at my allotment, happily munching away at the aphids on my broad beans. Does anyone know what plants or flowers you need to attract more of the adults??? I would like to have this many every year as they are such a good pest controller.  :)

[Suzanne]

Lots of larvae and adults - I think they are reducing the aphid population nicely, but a little worried re the species war between the ants that appear to be protecting the aphids and the ladybirds who are trying to eat them. I am hoping the ladybirds and their young are a bit like armoured tanks and can survive the chemical warfare the ants are throwing at them.

Luckily this is all happening in the flower border and not on veg allotments so at the moment I am being philosophical about it. Should the war extend to the veg and if it looks like the ants may win - I may have intervene. For the insect world does that make me a superpower? ???

[SEDUM]

I shall look out for them and make them very welcome  :D

[pye]

There are loads around here too. Took these this afternoon. Is the second pic one in mid-transformation?

Will they make it through the cold snap that's forecast for next week?

[Robert_Brenchley]

The second pic is indeed a pupa. Adult ladybirds are very well armoured, but not the larvae. But they all taste extremely nasty, and very little eats them.

[MrsKP]

I wish I had ladybirds.  I've only ever seen ONE in the garden in garden over the past 18 months.

I've seen more in the car park at work than the garden.

Mind you, I don't get many blackfly either.