Deficit of lady birds

[coachman]

Now well into August and still not a single ladybird has been seen in my garden all year.
Yet last year there were thousands of them.
Perhaps they were the dreaded 'Harlequin', but I didn't think there would be many of them so far north (Fife) yet.

Anyone else had none ?

[HeyWayne]

Have you got plenty of places for them to stay? I would imagine that the Harlequin will nest in the same places as native species - so even if your lot have been decimated by Harlequins, you should still have some on the plot.

[lynda66]

i've only seen one, i put it on my rose bush to eat the greenfly, then it cleared off ..... but then i haven't seen many nasty bugs either, the occasional butterfly a few hover flies and some bumble bees ...... maybe its cos my garden is new to having flowers in it?

[burnie]

None in Angus either,not seen much of their food either,I put it down to the "stair rods" we've had recently.

[hawthorns]

we have had loads of bees and hoverflies but ive seen only 1 lacewing and 3 ladybirds.

we have had loads of green and blackfly tho

[Plopstar]

Here in the east midlands we have come across very few ladybirds, greenfly arrived on lupins late last month, dahlias have been covered in blackfly, plenty of bumble bees, no honey bees which is worrying, and only a handful of butterflies.

As a kid I remember lots of butterflies in our garden, and sorry to say used to play a game with them armed with a badminton racket....

Plenty of ants this year too.

I guess the biggest worry should be the honey bees don`t you think?

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[SueA]

We've only had a couple of ladybirds in the garden so far this year. I have a ladybird tower for them & lots of flowers & shrubs etc. but the ladybirds seem to have diappeared . I think it probably has something to do with the awful summer we had last year as there's been a shortage of butterflies too, hopefully they might increase again next year.

[blue411]

Only seen one......

[Two_Sheds]

In the last couple of days, the ladybird population has exploded (on my patch). I think the early larvae have just turned into adults ... they're almost at plague proportions.

[loveday69]

Are you all seeing many aphids though? I haven't seen many ladybirds either but not many aphids. Maybe this is due to the amount of pesticides that are used (not by me) these days, maybe its killing the ladybird food off and therefore less ladybirds? or it might be killling the ladybirds too?

[coachman]

Earlier this year there were aphids everywhere.
Probably more than normal, so that,s not the reason.
Last year my garden had thousands of lady birds, and that was even before the aphids emerged. Also I'd say there is less pesticide being used now in gardens, not more.

[Alice]

I haven't seen any ladybirds this year - but then I've no aphids for them. Butterflies have been few and far between - if you don't count the cabbage whites. Plenty of them fluttering about.

[deezyb]

yesterday I noticed ONE ladybird on one of my terracotta pots and I started thinking about this thread - and yes there haven't been many around - however this morning I found another one in my bathroom - if I could work out how to post photos I would've put one on! Still working it out!

[Nicos]

Hadn't really thought about it- but now I do....only about 4 all year. That's not good is it??

[Two_Sheds]

I am finding more and more ladybirds on my plot: they're emerging everywhere, on all kinds of plant.
I don't use any kind of bug spray against aphids, I just squish any large out-of-control colonies, thereby leaving enough food for ladybirds to survive. No aphids = no ladybirds.