Overview

• Reports since 6 October describe large numbers of ladybirds gathering on windows, walls and inside houses across the UK, with warm sunshine prompting synchronized movement.
• Experts explain this is normal diapause behavior in early autumn, as beetles fly to sheltered crevices and some species, notably harlequins, enter buildings.
• Harlequin ladybirds are prominent and often huddle in large groups, and museum curators note they are harmless to people despite visible fungal infections some may carry.
• Households are advised to avoid killing the insects, gently collect and relocate them to sheds or outbuildings, seal gaps around doors and windows, and use mild deterrents such as citrus scents.
• There is no official national count, but researchers link the surge to a warm spring and summer that boosted aphid prey, and ecologists expect clusters to disperse within days.