Ladybird snuggle!

Lovely ,you are very luky to have all those ladybird

Thats amazing. I have seen One so far!

Thanks both, my garden is really lucky, I agree!
I've even seen them trundling across the lawn, I then pick them up and put them in the plants. I think they must over winter behind Ivy leaves and under the wall coping..:))

I thought we didn't have any earlier in the year, Janey, but it seems that not cutting things back until this month has allowed many to overwinter. There are now many in evidence, but not as many as you have in your garden.

How lovely ... I’ve only seen one so far ... I thought it was too cold for them.

Yes I think you're right there Ange, and leaving leaf litter in the borders helps too I'm sure.
You know they're such a beneficial insect to have in our gardens and they're also such a pretty bug to see, a bit like the robin of the insect world...a real joy..:))

They really are Sheila, I think any patch of sun and they'll be there.

Thanks Paul, it is and they're not the Harlequin ones, just the native British type, which is great too..

Lovely and vivid, Janey! The close ups really do capture them. I haven’t seen one yet, hopefully soon! Great to see them snuggling in..

Ivy is a great place for overwintering critters of all sorts. Ange is quite right about not cutting down stems. We have left ours for a few years now and it is amazing how many more insects generally there are. Lacewings wasps and many more good guys have already started munching the early greenfly.

Never seen that many before, haven't seen any yet

Janey, that's a fine sight, so many Ladybirds in your garden. I saw one last week, on top of the lid of the composter, re-located it to some Ivy.

Wow how wonderful Janey, I have seen more in the garden in the last couple of weeks but not as many as you have in that one spot...

Lucky you Janey lets hope they do earn their keep and gobble up the pests in your garden , we have a few but they are taking distancing to heart and aren't gathering in groups x

I can't remember having seen any on the balcony yet this year but I wish they would hurry up & eat all the aphids that are sucking my poor plants dry!

Thanks everyone for your comments!

It's been much colder today with rain, I'm wondering if they'd still be there, or snuggling somewhere else. I don't suppose they mind getting wet with their hard wing cases.

Yes Sbg, leaving the gardens till Spring before pruning must help. I did prune the ivy down again but left the cuttings at the bottom of the wall. There's also rotting and decaying logs that have been there a few years as hidey holes for them...

I'm glad to see you've got plenty of Ladybirds, I haven't seen one for several years.

What a lovely sight- a cluster of bright & cheery ladybirds in the sun! When I’ve been cutting back dead perennials I've found lots of them hiding amongst the dead leaves or stems so have stopped for now as it’s quite cold still. Then I saw a blackbird rummaging through my front borders and after just that- dead old leaves, moss and other bits ‘n pieces. So will wait now to cut things back.

Thanks Hywel, maybe is a bit more sheltered here, they do like the sunshine, like we all do!

Thank you Amsterdam, that's just what I thought!..:))
Yes, I think lets get Easter over and into April before really tidying things up. Like you I watched a blackbird pull a huge worm out of the lawn this morning, it did take him quite a few goes at it!

Wow Janey! You are really lucky to have so many in your garden. I have only seen a few so far, but very pleased nevertheless, as I hardly had any last year, each one makes me smile.

Hello Numbersfarm, I am very lucky, I know!
We're in for a couple of warm sunny days aren't we, so fingers crossed there'll be more out and about in your garden too..:)) I think by the weekend though, they'll be hiding again and keeping warm, it's supposed to be a chilly Easter!

And they bite!
a 10 spot was in one of the hollow stems I was removing today and it fell down inside my jumper and bra. It bit several times before i got it out. that is one photo i am not going to take Haha!

Ooh, Sbg nasty little critter! Must have thought you were tasty..haha..
I shall look at them in a different light now...:))

Hope you're ok though..

Yep just a small mark on my skin this morning. I knew they bit so not surprised considering it was trapped. Hubby thought it was hilarious.

I bet he did! :)))

I had no idea they bite! I've handled them many 1,000s of times over the years but have never been bitten by one.

I took advantage of the very warm weather last Wednesday & cleaned the windows of our flat, (we live on the ground floor), & I saw lots of Ladybirds in the long grass underneath our bedroom windows! But nary a one on the balcony! 😂 They were the first I'd seen this year.

It was such a warm.day Wednesday Balc, perfect for windows, now the cold is set to return, not good news for the ladybirds or our plants, no doubt they'll find leaf litter or splits in wood to snuggle down in again..:))