Millions of biting ladybirds have invaded a seaside town, forcing locals to run for cover. The colourful insects – which also made their presence felt at Lords last week during the test match between England and India – were seen crawling over posts and signs and even people.
And now clips have showed the bugs descending on Weston-super-Mare in Somerset, with their numbers swelling dramatically as a result of the hot, dry weather. Witness Robert Morgan said it was a shock for some, saying: “I live on the seafront opposite the pier. And the ladybirds were absolutely everywhere. There was an infestation of them on the beach. The screaming was very loud.”
Another local posted online, saying they had been bitten by the insects.
They said: “There are swarms of ladybirds in Weston. Stand still for twelve seconds and you become a strange human-bug hybrid.
“Amazing but I now know they bite. It feels like a teeny tiny pin scratch.
“I cannot exaggerate the number of them that are here. It’s like being in an asteroid belt.”
Another resident added: “I’ve never seen so many. We got off the train here, I said to my partner, ‘I think I’ve swallowed a fly.’ They are everywhere.”
One clip shared on TikTok showed the insects carpeting sandy stretches, climbing over sunbathers, and covering cars and other vehicles.
At Lords, another swarm distracted players and leading to a brief pause in England’s contest against India.
Ecologist and ladybird expert Prof Helen Roy, from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, said: “Many species of aphid-feeding ladybird such as the seven-spot ladybird are being seen in very high numbers this year.
“This is a consequence of the high aphid numbers and warm weather. People are reporting many sightings to the UK Ladybird Survey through iRecord, which is fantastic.”
Because ladybirds eat aphids, they have an abundance of food.
The scenes in Weston super Mare prompted memories of the 1976 heatwave, when swarms blanketed the town and surrounding areas.
One local said: “They may bite and be annoying but are good for our veggies as they eat the bugs and green flies.
“Last time they were like this was 1976.”
Ladybirds have mandibles for chewing soft-bodied insects like aphids, and on occasion, they might nip if they land on skin and mistake it for food or feel threatened.
The bite might feel like a mild pinprick, and some people may experience slight irritation or an allergic reaction, but most will not notice anything at all.
