七星瓢虫不仅漂亮可爱，而且能够捕捉害虫，受到人们的欢迎。但是当成千上万的瓢虫同时出现，会是怎样一番场景？近期，英国局部地区七星瓢虫大爆发，引起当地人们的烦恼。 

英国的萨默塞特郡和诺福克郡近期七星瓢虫大爆发，数百万只瓢虫入侵给人们生活带来了麻烦。由于大量瓢虫出现在田野，农民不得不把农作物盖起来。一名妇女发现自己的甲壳虫轿车上爬满了七星瓢虫。而许多人在路上走时，衣服上都会爬上许多七星瓢虫。

在萨默塞特郡查得农场大约1000万只七星瓢虫出现在农田里并“安营扎寨”。在这个20公顷的农场，自从上个月七星瓢虫开始出现以来，如今几乎每寸土地上都爬满了这种红黑相间的小昆虫。在当地，七星瓢虫布满了墙壁、树干等处，看起来好似草地上“蠕动的、起伏不平的地毯”。

昆虫专家表示，七星瓢虫大爆发同当地蚜虫的大量出现有关。蚜虫是一种害虫，以植物为食，而七星瓢虫专门捕食蚜虫。昆虫专家罗伯特-哈里森说：“在英国七星瓢虫很常见，但是有时其数量也会突然爆发式增长。但是如果没有足够的食物，或者蚜虫被吃光后，七星瓢虫就会被饿死。”在七星瓢虫短暂的一生中，雌性七星瓢虫能产下超过2000个黄色的卵，因此必须要有足够的蚜虫来为七星瓢虫提供食物。

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With its scarlet wings speckled with seven small black spots, the ladybird is generally a welcome visitor to the garden. 

Not only is it colourful and pretty, but the humble coccinella beetle also preys on garden pests such as aphids and other bugs.

But while a few ladybirds may be welcomed by the gardener, a couple of million would not.

But that is what happened when millions of the insects invaded parts of Somerset and Norfolk.

People had to run for cover as thousands of the tiny insect swarmed like a cloud on fields in Cromer.

One woman was stunned as, ironically, the ladybirds seemed to be attracted to her canary yellow VW Beetle.

Others people found their shirts and other clothing covered by the tiny beetles as they walked around.

And in Chard in Somerset around 10 million ladybirds have descended on farmland and set up home.

The red and black insects have covered every possible inch of the 20-acre farm site since arriving last month.

The site's owners Blackdown Horticultural Consultants grow thousands of square metres of 'eco-roofing' made of sedum - a grass-like matting

And the ladybirds sit three or four deep on walls, tree trunks and machinery, and look like a 'crawling, wriggling carpet' on the grass.

Insect experts say they came to feast on the natural 'larder' of aphids, a plant-eating insect which also came in search of food.

Expert, Robert Harrison, said: 'The ladybird is a common sight across the UK but occasionally the population will explode.

'Many people will remember the massive numbers that were around in 1976 when every surface seemed to be covered by them.

'However if there is not enough food or the aphid population is consumed then the ladybirds will simply die of starvation.'

In the main breeding season is May and June, mating seven-spot ladybirds are a common sight in our hedgerows and gardens.

In her short life, a female may lay more than 2,000 small yellow eggs, providing she has plenty of aphids to feed on.

Mr Harrison said: 'The name ladybird is centuries old and they were named after the Virgin Mary because in early religious paintings she was often depicted wearing a red cloak. The seven-spots symbolise seven joys and seven sorrows.'

 

 

该内容来源于英国总领事馆文化教育处