Has anyone seen the story, see my latest blog entry on the topic.
http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/ (http://kellasvegeplotandothermusings.blogspot.com/)
it's in today's papers....10 million on a 20 acre farm in Somerset
according to yesterday's Express (so it must be true) we're also due an invasion of a BILLION painted lady butterflys in August. How social services are going to cope I don't know. Perhaps the government will give them jobs manning the Swine Flu Hotlines
Quote from: Rhubarb Thrasher on July 25, 2009, 11:52:01
it's in today's papers....10 million on a 20 acre farm in Somerset
according to yesterday's Express (so it must be true) we're also due an invasion of a BILLION painted lady butterflys in August. How social services are going to cope I don't know. Perhaps the government will give them jobs manning the Swine Flu Hotlines
;D ;D
there's been thousands of 7 spot ladybirds crossing the north sea, I saw loads of them on the beach on thursday. ;)
Can you send some up here,please- I haven't seen a single ladybird this year and I've got a plague of white, green and blackfly. :(
whatever happened to "British Nectar For British Butterflies"? Gordon Brown eh? Just can't trust him :D
The link above from thifasmom is acting as a boomerang site. Everytime you close it down it opens back up. Had to reboot to stop it. Got an invasion warning.
Some years ago probably nearly 30 we had a year where there were loads and loads of green fly they were everywhere clouds of them. This was followed by loads and loads of lady birds and they got so hungry they started biting people. It was not infected but it was quite a painful nip. It has been hard to see them as totally benign since then.
Quote from: Digeroo on July 25, 2009, 12:21:40
The link above from thifasmom is acting as a boomerang site. Everytime you close it down it opens back up. Had to reboot to stop it. Got an invasion warning.
It was fine for me!
it's a really nice blog
Excellent photos on that blog. I haven't particularly noticed the invasion, but I expect I will now.
Wasn't the last plague of ladybirds in 1977, following the hot one of '76?
could do with some here ;D
Quote from: Digeroo on July 25, 2009, 12:21:40
The link above from thifasmom is acting as a boomerang site. Everytime you close it down it opens back up. Had to reboot to stop it. Got an invasion warning.
sorry about that, it has happened to me sometimes when i open other google run blogs maybe its a google glitch thing, I have never been given a warning though. the last time it happened was a few weeks ago but didn't have to reboot just accessed another page and it stopped :-\. any idea what might be causing it, my security scans are done very frequently and as yet no warnings re this problem ever came up.
Quote from: Digeroo on July 25, 2009, 12:21:40
Some years ago probably nearly 30 we had a year where there were loads and loads of green fly they were everywhere clouds of them. This was followed by loads and loads of lady birds and they got so hungry they started biting people. It was not infected but it was quite a painful nip. It has been hard to see them as totally benign since then.
both my daughter and myself have been bitten by both the seven spot and harlequins last year, with no ill effects but their bite is certainly noticeable, neither of us hold them for very long or in closed fists anymore :-\.
Quote from: Rhubarb Thrasher on July 25, 2009, 12:34:52
it's a really nice blog
Quote from: Unwashed on July 25, 2009, 13:25:30
Excellent photos on that blog. I haven't particularly noticed the invasion, but I expect I will now.
Wasn't the last plague of ladybirds in 1977, following the hot one of '76?
thanks guys :).
Quote from: tonybloke on July 25, 2009, 12:04:32
there's been thousands of 7 spot ladybirds crossing the north sea, I saw loads of them on the beach on thursday. ;)
that'll probably explain the increased numbers I've seen. where do you think they maybe coming from?
I don't remember anyone getting bitten in 1977, but I remember the masses of ladybirds well, and some hysteria in the press. They're far too small to give any more than a slight nip anyway.
Went out this morning & thought i had a new hat on so many ladybirds & lots of them in my hair, got in the car & they were all over the place .
Brilliant for the runner beans. ;D ;D
We've gone from not a one to a small explosion by the river Witham! Only just in time for a blackfly feast!
They've done a great job on my runner beans this year - appeared just in time and cleaned then up nicely.
Quote from: Barnowl on July 28, 2009, 12:36:12
They've done a great job on my runner beans this year - appeared just in time and cleaned then up nicely.
when they've finished can you send them along to me!
Also heard about this story on the radio last night, the guy being interviewed was very good I thought
I finally spotted ONE on my borage on Sunday! :D
Swarms of ladybirds in the States as well.
http://www.9news.com/rss/article.aspx?storyid=119254
wow!! now thats a swarm :)
still not arrived here ;D
nor here (dorset)
I have only seen one ladybird this year, no swarms here either.
I've seen surprising few this year. Perhaps the long, cold winter took it's toll!
We have quite a few here in the Midlands. Lots of the darker ones too. Yesterday I even found a larvae on the hydrangas