7 Spot Ladybird close to Chorlton Water Park
Following on from another mild winter our 7 Spot Ladybirds appear to be enjoying a very good year.
Again, similar to various other insects with the record breaking sunshine during April and May the larvae have taken advantage of the warm, micro-climate above the south-facing banks of the River Mersey and climbed up the stems of the Common Hogweed in vast numbers to pupate. Emerging amongst the flowers the young beetles have been gorging on the plentiful supply of aphids.
Closing in on an aphid
7 Spot Ladybird in a stand-off with a Capsid bug
You can run but you can’t hide …………… deep within a flowerhead an aphid attempts to hide from a 7 Spot Ladybird.
A pupating Ladybird with the newly emerged wings glistening as they dry out in the warmth of the sun.