striped ladybird, Myzia oblongoguttata
The second largest British ladybird, this species has specialised habitat requirements, being more or less confined to mature Scots pines, where it predates aphids of the genus Cinara. As it spends most of its life high in the canopy, it is seldom seen. In fact the most recent of the three previous Shropshire records was made in 1978 (the other two being 1942 & 1933). We visited Kinsley Wood on Wednesday in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, which had not felled any trees, but had brought a lot of branches down. I waded in to a pile of them and bingo - the fourth Shropshire record! I was rather happy! In fact probably my find of the year.
Kinsley Wood, Knighton, Shropshire.
striped ladybird, Myzia oblongoguttata
The second largest British ladybird, this species has specialised habitat requirements, being more or less confined to mature Scots pines, where it predates aphids of the genus Cinara. As it spends most of its life high in the canopy, it is seldom seen. In fact the most recent of the three previous Shropshire records was made in 1978 (the other two being 1942 & 1933). We visited Kinsley Wood on Wednesday in the aftermath of Storm Arwen, which had not felled any trees, but had brought a lot of branches down. I waded in to a pile of them and bingo - the fourth Shropshire record! I was rather happy! In fact probably my find of the year.
Kinsley Wood, Knighton, Shropshire.