Talkback: Hibernating ladybirds

sterelitza

Hi, we had a really sunny day here in Carmarthenshire last week which showed up how dirty the windows were, I decided to go outside to clean them, I saw several ladybirds on the window frames, they were more orange than red and I wondered what they were doing just basking in the sun.

Tootles

i reckon they must be doing what us humans have been doing and making the most of the warm weather. I wonder if they've scarpered home now? It was Baltic today!

Dave Morgan

It's pre hibernation behaviour. They make the most of the last warmth in the sun before going to sleep. Provide a place where they can keep frost free over winter. A garden shed is ideal.

chicky

Inside our windowframes seems ideal - we get a shower of them everytime we open a window

sterelitza

Thanks for all the information, I often wonder where these pretty and useful little creatures vanish to in the winter. I will treat them kindly in future and try to find a space in the shed for them. Should I just leave them on the workbench to find their own cosy corner to sleep in and will the spiders already in residence leave them alone?

oldchippy

Last week in the local there were dozens on the wing lunch time when I took the dogs for a walk,the sun was shining then but none this week so they must have found there resting places.