14 SPOT LADYBIRD

Spotted by Anna this morning on our HUGE Maris Piper plants! There were two of these tiny Laybirds on one plant - look for the tiny size (no more than 4mm in length), the pale yellow base colour, the rectangular black 'spots' like a chequer-board (between 14 an 16 although often fused) and the dark line in the middle of the elytra (wing cases).

I did try to take a picture of them with the camera phone, but it was blowing a hoolly this morning - focussing was impossible, so the photo below is one from the web.

We are seeing quite some numbers of BlackFly appearing on our flourishing potato plants... with luck, these little Ladybirds can stop that from continuing!

NB. 21/05/07. I did manage to take a photo in the meadow yesterday, of two of our (growing) population of 14-Spot Ladybirds, indulging in a spot of "Ladybird 'Ow's yur farvver". (Click to enlarge)