Orange and white spotted ladybirds seen in UK for the first time

"The unusual orange and white spotted insects have travelled over from the continent because of the warm weather the UK has had this summer. They have been recorded in southern England in the New Forest, which spans across parts of Hampshire and a small section of Wiltshire. The new bugs do not have an English name yet, but they are referred to as Little Arboreal Ladybirds or formally Calvia decemguttata."

"The species is common in France, but is a new colonist here in the UK and does not yet have an official English name. It is likely to have crossed the Channel because of warming temperatures. The arrival of the Little Arboreal Ladybird is a fascinating addition to Britain's ladybird fauna, and the New Forest seems to be the core area for this new colony. These discoveries underline the importance and value of conservation projects to the New Forest."

"The Little Arboreal Ladybirds boast an orange-brown colour with five white sports on each forewing. Their larvae are also striking, with a pale yellow-white body and black spots with black legs. According to experts, the adult beetles can be found on deciduous trees from April to October and feed on small sap-sucking insects called aphids and the larvae of leaf beetles."

A population of Little Arboreal Ladybird (Calvia decemguttata) has been recorded in the New Forest in southern England. The orange-brown beetles with five white spots on each forewing likely crossed the Channel from France during a warm spring and summer. Adults inhabit deciduous trees from April to October and feed on aphids and leaf-beetle larvae. Larvae are pale yellow-white with black spots and black legs. The species is relatively rare across its range and appears to be a new colonist in Britain, with the New Forest as the core area for the colony. Warmer temperatures have coincided with records of other uncommon ladybirds, highlighting the value of conservation monitoring.

Read at Mail Online