STD-ridden cannibalistic ladybirds invading Brit homes - but expert says 'leave them be'

dailystar.co.uk:

insect world.But the deadly characteristics of one particular invasive species are anything but cute.The large, voracious harlequin variety of ladybird is riddled with a sexually transmitted fungus.

They can also be cannibalistic and make meals of a smaller native species.READ MORE: Killer Asian hornets reignite their invasion of UK as first insects of 2022 discoveredEach year, usually autumn, swarms of harlequins - sometimes in their thousands - crawl into people's homes.

This hibernation, known as over-wintering, has made headlines over the years when alarmed hosts, including football pundit Gary Lineker, reported a frenzy of the bugs in their homes.But a leading ladybird expert, concerned with declining numbers of our native species, has revealed why we should still just leave them be.Professor Helen Foy has been studying the rise of the alien ladybird and its effects on our beloved native species for several years.Collected data shows that some of the UK's 47 species have declined in number, especially the two-spot variety."People can still find them," said Prof Foy. "They are declining - not to an absolutely detrimental level - but it is a bit concerning."It is the harlequin and the two-spot ladybird which are most likely to be seen in people’s homes during the winter and they often congregate together.The harlequins range in colour and pattern, and two-spots can actually have up to 16 spots.So people could easily mix them up, said Prof Foy."I would really encourage people to just leave them because of the possibility they will confuse them for another species," she said.Harlequins were introduced to from Asia to North America in 1988 to control aphids and the species spread to the UK from around 2004.