Britons have been puzzled by 'swarms' of ladybirds taking flight outdoors and clustering on windows and walls this week, with some homes reportedly besieged by hundreds of the diminutive creatures.
Social media has been flooded with reports that ladybirds are 'everywhere' today (October 6).
One user posted on X, formerly Twitter: "I don't know what's going on but there's loads of ladybirds outside casually swarming around my house!" whilst another remarked "Ladybirds, everywhere! Is this the equivalent of flying ant day?".
However, specialists say there's no cause for alarm.
The abrupt increase in observations can be attributed to ladybirds' yearly autumn journey as they hunt for refuge before the chillier period arrives, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Professor Helen Roy at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and University of Exeter told the Manchester Evening News: "Winter is a tough time for ladybirds in Britain and so during the winter months they become dormant."
"Each species has a favoured place to spend the winter - some such as harlequin ladybirds enter buildings while 7-spot ladybirds tuck themselves under leaf litter.
"At this time of year they are moving around to find a good place to overwinter. On warm early October days many ladybirds will be seen flying around in search of a winter habitat."
Mild, bright periods in early October can prompt the insects to begin soaring whilst seeking somewhere snug to endure the winter, which explains why so many are being observed across the UK this week.
The ladybirds' natural instinct to seek out cosy, protected spots frequently draws them inside our houses.
Max Barclay, Senior Curator of Beetles at the Natural History Museum, explained in a blog post: "There are a number of species of ladybirds that hibernate in big clusters. Ancestrally harlequin ladybirds would probably have hibernated in big clusters in caves, hollow trees and other sheltered places."
Without access to these natural hideaways, ladybirds may attempt to squeeze into our properties through tiny openings around poorly-fitted windows.
Specialists emphasise there's no cause for alarm if a cluster of ladybirds makes its way into your property.
The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology recommended in a blog post that you should avoid causing them harm.
"Perhaps gather them gently into a box and put them in an outbuilding if they are in the way but, otherwise, just leave them where they are if possible," it stated in a blog post.
Harlequin ladybirds aren't indigenous to the UK.
They first appeared in the country in 2004 and come from eastern Russia, China and Japan.
These insects are remarkably versatile and display numerous colour variations, ranging from orange with black markings to nearly black with red markings.
Whilst these ladybirds may harbour parasites and illnesses - including a sexually transmitted disease - specialists emphasise they pose no threat to humans. "[The STD] is a fungus that forms little scales on the wing cases on the outside of the ladybird," explained Max.
"You can actually see it with your naked eye and so can tell whether the ladybird is infected. It just looks like a yellow crust on some parts of the ladybird's exoskeleton."
So, despite the feeling of a ladybird invasion in the UK today, experts reassure us that it's merely a natural indication that autumn has arrived.