A newly published atlas which maps all 47 different ladybirds in Ireland and Britain reveals that, in the UK, 10 species of the speckled insect have been decreasing in the past 20 years. Dr Helen Roy, from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) and one of the authors of the atlas, the result of a six-year research project, said: “What's quite striking is that in the same way as butterflies and moths have seen very common species going into decline, we're seeing the same happen with ladybirds. They are telling us there are changes going up through the food chain. Ladybirds can be used as indicators of wider changes in our environment.”
The new publication maps all 47 different ladybirds in Britain and Ireland, and reveals that in the UK more than a fifth — 10 species — have been decreasing in the past 20 years. They include the widespread 14-spot and 10-spot ladybirds, and rarer species such as the hieroglyphic ladybird.
Source:
June 15 2011 at 10:25pm
By Grainne Cunningham
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/ladybird-facing-same-f…
Oxford Times, 23rd June 2011
http://www.oxfordtimes.co.uk/leisure/9091660.Map_shows_ladybird_decline/
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