A PLAGUE of insect invaders has descended on North Lincolnshire, leaving experts divided over the reason why.

The increases in both ladybirds and greenfly has appeared with the onset of warmer weather, leaving gardens and streets teeming with wildlife.

Gardener and Telegraph columnist John Cavill said: "I've noticed huge numbers of greenfly and ladybirds.

"I really don't know why we've so many greenfly but with the ladybirds I think it's down to the fact people know more about preserving wildlife.

"Things like ladybird boxes and bee boxes are really popular now and that means the insects have somewhere to keep safe and warm so they survive the winter."

Fellow columnist Sue Hoy, head gardener at Normanby Hall, said avoiding using chemicals could actually keep them away long term.

"At Normanby we don't use any pesticides; if you use them on the greenfly, you can end up killing off the ladybirds as well whereas if you leave them, the garden will achieve a natural balance between pests and predators," she said.

"I've noticed masses of ladybirds since April, one reason could be that this is just something that happens every few years."

Wildlife expert Eddie Gaunt, of the Scunthorpe branch of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, said: "In previous years ladybirds may have woken up early due to mild weather, but when they go out to find food, there's nothing for them and they die.

"The fact this winter has been so cold has meant they wouldn't have woken up until now, so hardly any will have died off leading to a really large population now."

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