The North East Ladybird Spot in 2024

Scores on the Doors

In total, 75 individuals shared 2,200 records as part of the North East Ladybird Spot this year.

For the first time, the non-native Harlequin Ladybird was your most recorded species with 430 sightings. Nudged into second place, you shared 415 sightings of the 7-spot Ladybird and once again, the 2-spot Ladybird came in third at 226 sightings. Orange Ladybird, formerly a rare species in our region, saw an increase with 226 sightings across the region.

At the other end of the scale, many of you succeeded in finding a suite of rarer ladybirds too with 34 sightings of Eyed Ladybird and 27 records of Kidney-spot Ladybird.

Exciting discoveries

Together, you made lots of notable discoveries in 2024. Among these, particularly exciting was the discovery of Hieroglyphic Ladybird at Harwood Forest in Northumberland. With only 7 sightings as part of the project so far, this ladybird is proving tricky to find across the area!

Perhaps the most surprising discovery of the year came back in January with the discovery of an entirely new species for North East England – the delightfully pink Poplar Ladybird. This marked only the third national record of this attractive European species but how it reached Ponteland is a bit of a mystery.

Elsewhere, you continued to add sightings of typically scarce species such as Heather, Adonis’ and 18-spot Ladybirds.

A Poor Year for Ladybirds?

2024 has been a poor year for many insects, with butterflies, wasps and other pollinators particularly hard hit. Your sightings hint at a decline in the abundance of many ladybird species also.

Several species were recorded fewer times and in lower numbers this year, including 7-spot Ladybird down 38% and Pine Ladybird down 42%. Other species too appeared to decline with records of 22-spot Ladybird down 61% and Eyed Ladybird 33%. It is tricky to be conclusive, but many of you noticed 2024 was a poor year for many species.

It is not all doom and gloom, however, and one species has faired particularly well this year with Orange Ladybird up 17% on 2023.

Cemeteries Revisited

Throughout the North East Ladybird Spot, our region’s cemeteries have revealed themselves to be some of the best places to observe a host of ladybird species.

This year, you did a superb job visiting cemeteries across the North East with around 40% of sightings shared from such places – news is clearly spreading!

By far the most popular sites so far are Jesmond Old Cemetery and St. Nicholas Churchyard in Newcastle, and Preston and Benton cemeteries in North Tyneside, but it would be great to see further sites explored in 2025.

Interested in surveying your local cemetery? Please email james.common@newcastle.ac.uk to chat more.

Learning Together

As ever, 2024 saw plenty of trips and surveys focused on North East ladybirds.

This year, group visits were held at cemeteries at Jesmond, Benton and Wallsend; bioblitz events at Jesmond Dene and Leazes Park revealed exciting finds, and naturalists came together to explore spots further afield at Prudhoe, Teesdale and Newbiggin.

Early-career naturalists on NHSN’s Field Skills Programme also got involved, enjoying ladybird-themed field trips held alongside NHSN Invertebrate Coordinator, Gordon Port.

It has been brilliant to see so many naturalists sharing experiences and inspiring others.

What’s in store for 2025?

The North East Ladybird Spot will continue in 2025 and we would love many more people across the North East to join in.

Next year, we it would be great to see more people…

• Searching for rare and under-recorded species (see here tips)
• Visiting cemeteries in Northumberland and County Durham
• Helping to fill ‘gaps on the map’ across the region

From a new ladybird field course starting in the New Year to friendly, informal trips across Tyneside and beyond, we’ll also be holding lots of events and would love to get involved.