THE current cold snap has taken many of us by surprise – but it’s also caught these ladybirds off guard, as these incredible pictures show.
Although they are usually associated with summer, the recent spell of unseasonably warm weather has lured the bugs out of their winter hiding spots.
But these unlucky critters must have got a short sharp shock when sub-zero temperatures swept across the country this yesterday morning, rooting them to these plants.
They were spotted in Watts Wood Nature Reserve, Lincolnshire, by amateur photographer Mark Johnson.
The incredible images were taken whilst Mark walked with his dog through the icy woodland this yesterday morning.
Keen wildlife photographer Mark, 43, from Dunholme, Lincs, said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the seven-spot ladybirds temporarily frozen in time.
He said: “I’ve never seen them frozen like that before – I started snapping away as soon as I spotted them.
“They’ve been out and about in the warmer weather recently so maybe the cold weather caught them by surprise.”
And although the ladybirds were frozen to the spot by the blast of icy weather, joiner Mark said that he saw them moving around later on when the weather warmed up.
He said: “Later on in the day when they had thawed out you could see them moving around as if nothing had happened.”
Dr Peter Brown, zoology Lecturer lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University and an author of the UK Ladybird Survey, said that the recent fluctuations in cold weather may explain why the insects came out.
Dr Brown explained that insects such as ladybirds go through a process called ‘overwintering’ during cold months.
He said: “It’s not quite like hibernation of mammals as they can come out of it on warmer days.”
“They are around all year but not normally active in January, though they can withstand sub-zero temperatures.
“They may come out of dormancy and perhaps take in a little water and bask on a sunny day in winter.
“But they will shut down again and only become properly active from about March.”
