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| Species of the Month - June 2011 7-spot Ladybird Coccinella septempunctata The 7-spot is the commonest British ladybird, though in Argyll it may be second to the Larch Ladybird. Certainly it is the species most often noticed. In my experience numbers of this species were well down last year, which may have been due to the prolonged frost of the previous winter. They seem to be building up again this year. ID: The only ladybird with 7 black spots on a red background, apart from the "Scarce 7-spot Ladybird" which is only found close to wood ants' nests, has not been recorded this far north, and has the central spots much larger than the ones at the sides. All British ladybird species are described and depicted here: http://www.ladybird-survey.org/species_list.aspx The 7-spot
Ladybird can occur almost anywhere on low vegetation; it is not normally
in trees.
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Carl Farmer
On 2nd June, Kerry and Olya found numerous 7-spot Ladybirds at Dunollie. In one place there were several of these on docks and nettles under sycamore trees, together with 10-spot, Orange and Larch Ladybirds, all in the same place. Possibly these had fallen from the trees during the recent storm which affected the trees at Dunollie very badly. Problem with that theory is why wouldn't they just fly back up there? 11 June, two 7-spots seen by me on Meadowsweet leaves near Dunadd. 25 June, one 7-spot seen on the ground by Kerry and me at Polvinister. 27 Aug, after not seeing any ladybirds for a long while, saw several 7-spots today between Creagan and Invernahyle.
May 2011 -
Green Hairstreak
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