A stroll out to the garage revealed the sudden appearance of a few insects today; the fact that it was well into the 50s, with a warm sun and little wind, probably had something to do with that. Chief among the insects were a number of these cheery little chappies, which probably overwintered somewhere nearby. This is the Seven-spotted Ladybird, one of Britain's (and indeed Europe's) most common ladybirds. For reasons unknown, the local Norfolk name for them (well, for all ladybirds, if we're honest) is "Bishy Barnabee".
The Seven-spotted Ladybird is a generalist, able to thrive in a variety of habitats. This one was headed from the driveway into the nearby grass. Ladybirds feed on aphids. According to the National Insect Week's website, a single ladybird will eat about 5500 aphids during its life, so it's a great species to have in the garden. And yes, there's a distinct lack of originality in ladybird names!
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