Good luck, Britain faces a plague of ladybirds

Ladybirds are entering British households in swarms this autumn due to a hotter than average summer, experts have said.

The invasive Harlequin species, which first arrived in the UK in 2004, is seeking to hibernate indoors during the colder months.

Social media posts have shown swarms in bedrooms, with bugs seen crawling over doors and windows.

Prof Helen Roy at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, who organises the UK Ladybird Survey, said reports had started in the north of England where the weather first turned cool, before spreading down the country. “It’s quite a wildlife spectacle,” she said. Survey data is not yet complete.