This article first appeared on the CEH website:

16 July 2009
From today ladybird recorders will be able to send in records via their mobile phones as part of a new partnership between the UK's Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Woolworths.co.uk. It will be the first mobile portal in Britain for biological recording, enabling records to be sent in straight from the field or garden.  The partnership is part of the relaunch of the ladybird clothing range, which is now available through the new Woolworths.co.uk website.

The new mobile portal will feed into the UK Ladybird Survey which, among other things, helps to monitor the invasion of the harlequin ladybird. The harlequin is native to Asia and arrived in Britain in 2004. It is known to eat native ladybirds and the food they rely on.

Dr Helen Roy from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH), said: “Volunteers have been invaluable in providing us with information on ladybirds and we hope that this initiative will encourage even more people to get involved in biological recording. Recording sightings is extremely important in helping to assess the impacts of change, such as the arrival of a new species, on the environment. This knowledge can in turn inform environmental management.”

To send in a ladybird record via a mobile phone, recorders will simply text* the word LADYBIRD to 83040 in order to receive a link that will allow them to upload their photos and data. The option of sending in records through the website and mail will remain.  

To celebrate the launch of the partnership the first British ladybird habitat at ZSL London Zoo has been created, which will be in the BUGS zone for the next two weeks. There are 46 species of ladybird in the UK and many of them will appear in the habitat.  

In addition to helping CEH set up mobile recording, Woolworths.co.uk has developed a Little Ladybird Spotters information pack that can be downloaded from www.woolieshq.co.uk/garden. The pack includes a Little Ladybird Spotters wallchart, species and photography guide and ladybird cupcake recipe. 

Matthew Hardcastle, Head of Woolworths.co.uk comments: “Through the Woolworths.co.uk ladybird habitat at ZSL London Zoo and Little Ladybird Spotters initiative, we want to raise awareness of the threat to British ladybirds and encourage families to get outside this summer and spot and record the different species.”

*Texts will; be charged at your standard network rate. Internet browsing costs will be subject to our tariff but should not be more than 20pence.

Additional information

For any further information contact the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology press office.

The UK Ladybird Survey website was launched in 2005 and enables volunteers to record ladybird sightings online. The online survey has received approximately 60,000 records, mainly from members of the public. Verified records are shared through the NBN Gateway. The survey has generated a unique dataset documenting, at high resolution, the spread of an invasive species from the moment of its arrival. This data is being used to predict impacts on native species and model the species’ distribution. www.ladybird-survey.org

The Woolworths.co.uk Little Ladybird Spotters habitat will be on display in BUGS at ZSL London Zoo for two weeks from Thursday 16th July 2009.

Visit www.wooliesHQ.co.uk/garden to download the Little Ladybird Spotter pack. The Little Ladybird Spotters pack includes:

• A fact sheet about the ladybird family
• A wall chart
• A photography guide
• A ladybird cupcake recipe

For more about the invasive harlequin ladybird see:

• Invasive harlequin ladybird could threaten 'over 1000' native species
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• Tell us what you think by visiting the invasive ladybird topic on News and Views
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