4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[AnnieP]

My bathroom has become a ladybird sanctuary and I don't know quite what to do. There must be at least 200, roosting together in the various corners of the room. Presumably they are trying to overwinter here? Could they survive or would it be kindest to just get rid of the lot? When we have a sunny day (bathroom is south facing so very warm) some start to buzz around again. Trouble is I am squashing a few..

Thoughts? I am pondering whether to collect them all and put them in a box if they will survive, but I don't really want to overwinter a box of dead ladybirds... I have the reputation of being nutty enough without fuelling the rumours....

[Christian]

Take a look here Annie -

 

http://www.buckingham-nurseries.co.uk/acatalog/Index_Pollination_Bees_27.html

 

You could always 'box up' a few and bring them over here. We have several flying around at the moment. Maybe my bathroom isn't as clean as yours, as they aren't coming inside.

[Joojoo]

I am pondering whether to collect them all and put them in a box if they will survive, but I don't really want to overwinter a box of dead ladybirds... I have the reputation of being nutty enough without fuelling the rumours....

 

:lol: Crikey they certainly like your bathroom. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it . Perhaps have a look on google to see how they hibernate and then try to recreate that in a box for them. Fingers crossed they will be ok come springtime. Although you will probably want to put them somewhere that they won't annoy you when they wake up!

[Egluntyne]

I wonder if they are drawn to that shade of blue?

[MadMitch]

Are they native or non native e.g Harlequins?

If they are non native I would kill them all as they are killing all our native ladybirds.

Here is a link to a guide on how you can tell, the top 3 are the dodgy ones.

 

 

 

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/downloads/Ladybird%20descriptions_Info%20pack_NEW_v.5.pdf

[AnnieP]

Ooh, thanks for that thought Michelle. They ARE harlequins .

I googled it and found this website:

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/

Really informative.

and then on RHS website found this:

Why are these ladybirds coming into my house?

Ladybirds overwinter as adult beetles in a variety of situations and some, like the harlequin and our native two-spot ladybird, like to seek shelter in buildings in the autumn. In a cool place they will cluster and settle down until they become active again in the spring. In heated rooms, harlequin ladybirds may continue crawling around during the winter. Not in my house they are not!

 

It also suggests:

Should I stamp on any harlequins I find?

No. It had already become too widespread and numerous in England before it was discovered for it to be eradicated. Killing them now will not affect its numbers and may lead to other insects mistakenly identified as harlequins being killed.

Phew: Didn't want to do that!

So, I have hoofed them all outside and am leaving them to get on with it.

Must be a wildlife day here: My neighbour has just rung to say they have an injured sparrowhawk in their garden, so off down there now to await Wiltshire Animal Rescue.

Ah, its all go! Anything rather than housework eh?

[Guest]

spooky, i've just found a ladybird on my fridge so took him outside and put him near my ladybird house

[Paola]

I had a couple in last weekend. I hoofed them outside