The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: MiriMaran on October 28, 2009, 09:49:34 pm
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We have loads of ladybirds coming into the house to hibernate. How do I know if they are the good native ones we want to keep or the bad non-native ones that we are supposed to kill?
Any advice would be great.
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Dunno - put them all outside in the shed ;D ;D ;D
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i've never heard of ladybirds having to be killed. I thought all ladybirds were good ??? :o
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???Arn't the bad ones colarado beetles in fancy dress !!!!
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What y'like?! Colorado beetles?!
The Harlequin ladybird is the foreign invader to britain, we have some 40 odd species, so they all look a little different anyway, not all red with 6 black spots!
Harliquins will eat smaller native 'birds, so try not to encourage them in.
Have a look at the "uk ladybird survey" website for photos, I can't get them up on here...
http://www.ladybird-survey.org
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Arrrrh(http://smileys.on-my-web.com/repository/Surprise/surprised-040.gif)
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Yes its the baddie that we have - Harmonia axyridis succinea!
http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recognition_and_distinction.htm# (http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recognition_and_distinction.htm#)
Harry's bedroom has at least 30 in it. The front of our feed shed in the field was totally covered in pupating Ladybirds this summer and judginf by the photos of the larvae they were all Harlequins. Argh!!!
I'm going to take photos and send them into the Harlequin Survey form to get verification.
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Maybe it's the way I was brought up and only ever having seen red 7 spots but I couldn't kill a ladybird - ever!
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I was really worried about having to kill them, but it doesn't say to do that on the website so I think Harry can keep his new pets in his room for now.
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How can I kill this?!
(http://www.harlequin-survey.org/images/ladybird_imgs/h_axyridis_succinea.jpg)
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Think how many red squirrels died because of the invasion of greys.
Think how many pigs, sheep, dogs, etc etc are or have been on 'rare breed' lists
Now can you kill it, to save all those beautiful native ladybirds?
(probably not, I'm only trying to help...)
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Oh don't Ruth! Do you think I should squash them?
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Why not phone your local 'man-from-defra' and ask what you should do with them? They may send someone out to do the deed for you.
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Or you could get a white witch in - like HFW did in
River Cottage - and ask them to leave ;D ;D ;D
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He didn't really, did he? Does he really believe in that stuff?
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If I have a wasp buzzing arpound me I always ask it very politely to go away and they invaribly do.
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Thats just your imposing and commanding nature!!!
From what I can find, you need to just record where, when and how many harlequins you've seen to the harlequin survey, run by the University of Cambridge. They are monitering where they are, and say you should shouldnt see the 'birds over the winter as they'll hibernate out of sight.
No need for mass murder!
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At the moment Harry has about 30 tucked into the corner of his window frame. I meant to take some photos today, but forgot.
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I didn't know WHAT you people were talking about ;D :dunce:then I saw the photo. ::) over here we call them "lady bugs" My mom used to tell me that they bring you good luck if they land on you and she would also tell me it was a sin to kill them :o (she tried her best to mess me up ;))
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Wow if she said that about Ladybirds what did she say about men!!!!!! ;D ;D
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She said NOTHING about men thank God, I guess that's how I lucked up and got a great one!! :love:
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;D ;D