As I sat reading Ian Walthew’s delightful book “A place in my country” and learning of the decline of the hare population  (due to large fields, monoculture  and the move from winter-sown to spring-sown cereals and the gigantic combine harvesters that kill hares as they cross the fields in a wide swathe) a tiny yellow lady bug landed on the book and surprised me.  I have only ever seen red ladybirds but, having googled several sites, I realize that there are many varieties of Coccinellidae (small beetles)and the red and black spotted ladybird that I recognize is but one. Sometimes it is good to sit on the grass and look down.