Ladybird plague

It would seem that Freya is over her nasty tummy bug. She slept better (I assume) then raced down the stairs this morning. Although she didn’t jump around like a lunatic when I returned from the shops, she did run around after Emma a lot during the day. She also ate lunch…which she didn’t want yesterday.

Then, after lunch, we went to the park for a run around and she was fine. You wouldn’t think anything was wrong with her yesterday. I wish my feet could heal as quickly. Speaking of my feet, I decided to make them walk a bit today.

The park always looks so beautiful in Autumn. Okay, it’s not Boston but, to me, it’s beautiful.

I managed to get as far as the Avenue of Trees and walked along it a bit, throwing the tennis ball for Emma while Freya greeted all and sundry as they passed us.

Then we stopped at a bench for a bit of self inflicted physio. That’s when I had the first sighting of the ladybirds. The bench had them everywhere on it. I’ve never seen so many all at once. A rough count would be at least 103. It was extraordinary.

I managed to find an empty bench a little further away. It’s not like I wanted to sit on the other one. And then back at home, as if I was in some strange horror movie populated by hordes of evil Coccinellidae of various shades and spot number, they’d taken over the bedroom windows. There were so many, all huddled together in the corners or lurking in nooks and crannies.

Of course I opened the windows and flicked them all outside only to find there was even more on the outside frame all just dying to get inside. I flicked some more until I could once more close the window, the room now empty of ladybirds.

Apparently there was a Ladybird Plague back in 1976. The weather conditions and crops were perfect for a plague back then. I don’t think it’s the same this year but…well, who knows. Updates as I find any more…