Overview

• Residents across the country report rooms and windowsills covered in ladybirds, with social media videos showing houses "crawling with them" and some noting the insects can bite.
• Entomologists explain the beetles are entering diapause and are drawn to sheltered crevices, often getting in through open doors, windows and gaps around loose-fitting frames.
• The influx is largely attributed to harlequin ladybirds, a species introduced in the UK that has spread beyond the south-east into the Midlands.
• Specialists note harlequins can carry a fungal infection described as sexually transmitted among ladybirds, but they emphasize it does not infect humans.
• Advice circulating in consumer coverage suggests using strong scents such as cloves, lemons, limes or bay leaves near entry points to deter the insects.