ladybirds

I reckon the appearance of ladybirds is also a sign suggesting one take off to Argentina, wear bright red lipstick and dance the tango.

610 - ponderings of a small brain Another Outspoken Female 2008

Oh yeah, our house is being literally invaded by harlequin ladybirds (an alien species from Asia that arrived in Britain in 2004).

Goodbye, my giant predatory, cursorial, flightless hoatzin Darren Naish 2006

Oh yeah, our house is being literally invaded by harlequin ladybirds (an alien species from Asia that arrived in Britain in 2004).

Archive 2006-11-01 Darren Naish 2006

The ladybirds are the most successful invading species in Britain and can now be found as far north as Leeds.

Telegraph.co.uk: news business sport the Daily Telegraph newspaper Sunday Telegraph 2009

You thought you’d do the responsible thing and buy some ladybugs (technically beetles and not ture bugs at all, known as ladybirds in the UK) at the store to keep your roses clean instead of spraying poison.

Biological Control May Beget Exotic Invaders 2006

Eighteen students have been engrossed in projects surveying various insects, such as ladybirds, butterflies and the horse chestnut leaf miner as part of a study into infections affecting horse chestnut trees in Madingley.

Epolitix News 2010

These sturdy immigrants threaten some of our 46 native ladybirds in the manner of the coypu and grey squirrel.

John Godber swaps Hull for Wakefield 2011

Distribution maps drawn up from sightings over the last 20 years show worrying declines in the common 10- and 14-spot ladybirds, and numbers of rarer species, including the unusual water and hieroglyphic ladybirds, have also suffered substantial falls.

British ladybird species struggling to compete with alien invaders 2011

Some native ladybirds are struggling to survive alongside species that have recently become established in Britain.

British ladybird species struggling to compete with alien invaders 2011

They also attract lots of aphids, excellent food for “coccinelles” (= ladybirds) and blue tits (= mésanges bleues).

sarcler - French Word-A-Day 2010