Turn Around Ladybirds!

Last year we had ladybirds hibernating in our kitchen and struggled to move them.  A few weeks ago it looked like we were going to have them in the house again so I sent off for a pooter so we could move them without harming them.  When Tony tried it we discovered it was not big enough to take the ladybird in to the container and was left, legs dangling, on the end of the suction tube!  Foiled again.

This afternoon I moved Tony's bit of the Matterhorn rock from the outside window sill to discover a host of hibernating ladybirds which immediately scattered!  It was a dash to the allotment for the ladybird house, which has stood vacant all year,  and now we are hoping that they will move in to the much better des res.  By the time I came inside, half a dozen had found it but others were already halfway up the house wall.  Apparently when ladybirds find a good hibernation spot they send out a faint scent to other ladybirds to come and join them.  It's not good for them to be inside our houses because the central heating wakes them up and there are no aphids to eat so they die.  Fingers crossed this little group reform in the house, which is securely fixed by the Matterhorn rock!  Now I have to make a sign for Martin the window cleaner not to move the house!