Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral History Ladybird Swarm (1976?)

I was in Parkgate at the time so they must have infested the whole of the Wirral!

It wasn't just the Wirral, it was most of England, see HERE last paragraph.

Imagine that, tonnes of dead ladybirds everywhere, eewww! Poor sods!

We had ladybird stew and ladybirds on toast for weeks.

Yep, I remember those ladybirds! They were millions of them all over the walls on the prom, you couldnt even open your mouth without one going in....... I was 11 at the time and me and my Mum were sitting in the car agog.

me and my Mum were sitting in the car agog.[/quote]

Hope the windows were shut!

I remember being in New Brighton baths at the time and the water was just a carpet of Ladybirds. Here's a picture of a few of them on the prom.

They were over in Lincolnshire as well, a bit crunchy walking around.

What caused it? Most bizarre.

Probably the heat and breeding conditions were right, i was on nights at Lairds at the time and remember having to shovel them off the job, they were all banked up against the bulwark on the ship. Bulwark is an extended ships side.

Whoah! I cant remember it myself- i was 4- going to ask me mum where we were etc. However, i can remember the heatwave-same year?

oh i remember that, everywere turned red, i was pregnant with my son that year, it was so hot too!!

i remember it cos i was in heswall childrens hospital for 7 weeks on traction....the little buggers were everywhere in the wards

anyone remember the boat they had in the grounds for the kids to play on ?

That was a really dry summer - the first summer I was overseas, so I missed the whole swarm phenomenon completely. Am VERY glad I did - my parents lived in Wallasey at the time, and said it was virtually impossible to move around without squashing some of the little beasts. That would have squicked me out completely. That year for the Wirral Show, the Wallasey Ladybirds charity group dressed up as - yes, you've guessed it, ladybirds...

i remember being down new brighton and they had people with buckets and shovels to shovel them up!