Ladybirds in grain

[fermerboy]

We have just about finished harvest.
We are all spring barley here.

I've never seen so many ladybirds in the crop. The combine was covered in them and any heap of barley in the shed had a mass covering on top next day. Usually see a red one or a green one but not thousands, all a rusty brown/Orange colour.

Why is so many this year?? Just the hot dry year?

 

[IHA]

They will all be either washed or blown away after this bloody wind and rain this morning.

 

[oil barron]

We have just about finished harvest.
We are all spring barley here.

I've never seen so many ladybirds in the crop. The combine was covered in them and any heap of barley in the shed had a mass covering on top next day. Usually see a red one or a green one but not thousands, all a rusty brown/Orange colour.

Why is so many this year?? Just the hot dry year?

Going to be some high protein whiskey this year.

 

[beltbreaker]

Lots of food, eg aphids. I wonder if this will mean BYDV next year. Goes to show its not farming that's the problem its the weather!

 

[Sandy]

The crops were crawling with aphids which is ladybird food

 

[The Agrarian]

For the last month our grass silage has ladybirds sitting on it. Not swarms obviously, but you can't walk three yards before you spot another. I've honestly barely noticed them any other year.

 

[Andrew1983]

Haven’t seen ladybirds like this year since the mid 90s. Hope vegans don’t drink whiskey or beer!

 

[TheEarlOfMoray]

Aye it’s the amount of aphids on the go this year. Crops were covered in them before harvest.

 

[Bogweevil]

Plague of aphids in 1976 made the news - hot dry weather, good news though of course, knocks back aphid numbers, saves on treatment this autumn and next spring. Most of the ones I have seen are genuine native ladybirds not the non-native harlequin ladybird (which is very much the grower's friend despite being a alien from Manchuria).