'STD-ridden' ladybirds heading for UK

Millions of ladybirds from Asia and North America are set to descend on the UK this winter carrying a fungal infection which could decimate the native population.

The bugs are being spotted in growing numbers across the UK, aided by a mild autumn.

"Dozens have photographed the creepy-crawlies in their homes, with Merseyside and Manchester thought to be especially affected," the Daily Mail reports.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The Harlequin ladybird was first recorded in the UK in 2004, according to Professor Helen Roy, one of the scientists behind the Harlequin Survey. It can be recognised by its distinctive orange or black wings and is usually larger than its British counterparts.

However, the bugs carry Laboulbeniales, a fungal disease passed on through mating. The infection has only been recorded in a handful of native ladybirds until now and researchers suspect it could have an impact on "the lifespan or the number of eggs a female can produce over her lifespan".

Data recorded over the last decade indicates "seven out of eight native species of ladybird were declining and this was strongly linked to the arrival of the harlequin ladybird", says the survey.

The insects "are very effective aphid predators" and unusually resistant to parasites, it adds, meaning they "easily out-compete" native species.

Although the Harlequin poses no threat to humans besides a small bite, they can emit an unpleasant smell and leave stains on furniture if they get into houses.