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, which have now been added to Pippa's blog. These are, starting from the top:1. Pupa of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis.2. Larva and pupa of the harlequin ladybird. Both larvae and pupa are very much brighter and larger than other UK species.3

For the last few years I've noticed large numbers of harlequin ladybirds (pictured, left) visiting my garden in summer, and then hibernating inside my window frames over winter.The window frames also provide winter shelter for lacewings and many

some air flow through the house. Suddenly there were golden brown centipedes, spiders, ladybirds and lacewings running about everywhere.I felt like the man on the moon looking down on earth and witnessing a catastrophe. All the insects were enjoying

fewer ladybirds in my garden this year. I expect they’re missing the aphids, too.Perhaps the birds are obligingly collecting the aphids up for their young, or they've all been parasitised by some wonder wasp. Who knows, maybe it was the hard winter after