First of the Season

An elevenspotted ladybird (Coccinella undecimpunctata) on a Borage leaf. They were introduced from England in 1874 to help control the aphids that had been introduced earlier.

This is the first elevenspot I've seen this season. There have been a few Twospotted ladybirds about. It has been a bad season for them. Normally there is an explosion in the ladybird population about mid-November, but it didn't happen this year. The aphids have flourished unchecked. I blame that very cold spell we had in June.