SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½

Expert talks ladybirds on BBC One Breakfast show

Posted Yesterday

An expert from SA¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s Entomology team has appeared on the BBC to talk about ladybirds – after the insects stopped play at Lords.

Play was stopped against India on day one of the third Test thanks to the insects – and Senior Lecturer in Entomology Dr Ben Clunie was invited to appear on BBC One’s Breakfast programme to explain what had happened and why to the show’s hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty.

He also took the chance to clear up some media myths and misconceptions around the incident.

He said: “We get one of these headlines every few years – whether it’s about ladybirds or some other kind of insect, it tends to be quite sensationalist.

“From my point of view, looking at these things every day – these things are absolutely wonderful – that is slightly devastating, so hopefully we can try and correct that.”

He noted that much of the language around the incident had taken this sensationalist line – but in reality, the insects were simply moving to find new resources and happened to view the green pitches of the Lords ground as a potential resting spot.

He added: “’Invasion’, ‘swarm’, one of the media outlets – not the BBC – called it an ‘attack’ on the players, and they’re ladybirds – it’s very much not that sort of thing.

“The reason for it, in a nutshell, is the warm weather, which is obviously fantastic from one point of view but for insects, being so incredibly small, the weather can affect them quite immediately.

“So, the warmer it is, the quicker they can complete their life cycle - and that is not necessarily the ladybirds, but their food source, which is predominantly aphids.”

As these resources change, so too do the number of other insects drawn to them – leading to behaviour such as the incident at Lords.

Ben added: “Once insects start to aggregate in large numbers - like bees swarming - they migrate to find new resources because they won’t be available where they were. So it could just be circumstances, but this is a large green patch that looks pretty enticing - and they settle down.”

However, he noted, the insects are not harmful to humans and there was no cause for concern.

He added: “This word ‘attack’ is very much putting the wrong idea in people’s heads – if a ladybird lands on you, it’s just because you’re a convenient perch!”