The great autumn harlequin ladybird invasion

Harlequin ladybirds spend the winter in buildings – often in large numbers. This is a good opportunity to send in photographs. Woolworths.co.uk has developed a Little Ladybird Spotters information pack. The pack includes a Little Ladybird Spotters wallchart, species and photography guide and ladybird cupcake recipe Photograph: Nick Greatorex-Davies/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology/PA

Ladybirds crowd a beach chair on Warnemuende beach, Germany, 2009. The harlequin, native to Asia, was introduced to North America and continental Europe as a biological control agent because it eats more pest insects than any other ladybird Photograph: Bernd Wuestneck/EPA/guardian.co.uk

Unfortunately, the harlequin ladybird is known to also eat native ladybirds and the food they rely on Photograph: Fritz Rauschenbach/Corbis

Harlequin ladybirds have a very variable appearance, which can make it difficult to tell them apart from other species Photograph: Craig Tuttle/Corbis

A black harlequin ladybird with four red spots eating aphids. The harlequin ladybird survey website has a guide to recognising the beetle Photograph: Nigel Cattlin/Visuals Unlimited, Inc./Getty Images

Thousands of seven-spot ladybird carcasses carpeted the streets of Cromer after a swarm in the Norfolk coastal town Photograph: Jason Bye /Rex Features

Two-spot ladybird laying eggs. Two-spot ladybirds are about half the size of a harlequin ladybird and are usually red with one spot on each wing case Photograph: Robert Harding/Rex Features

Ladybird (Coccinella novemnotata), head showing its mouth parts, antennae and compound eyes Photograph: Dennis Kunkel Microscopy/Corbis

Seven-spot ladybird (Coccinella septempunctata) Photograph: Steve & Ann Toon/Robert Harding World Imagery

Seven-spot ladybirds on a stem. The UK Ladybird Survey website was launched in 2005 and enables volunteers to record ladybird sightings online. The survey has received approximately 60,000 records, mainly from members of the public Photograph: DEA/CHRISTIAN RICCI/Getty Images

Of the 46 ladybird species now found in Britain, only 26 are readily recognisable as ladybirds and these are the focus of the Ladybird Survey Photograph: Corbis

There have been reports from across Europe that two-spots are declining Photograph: Corbis

Cream-spot ladybird (Calvia 14-guttata) winters in plant litter, bark crevices and beechnuts Photograph: Garden Picture/Getty Images