Some People Think They Can Catch STDs From Ladybirds

It was only a matter of time, wasn't it? Yesterday we joked that we would soon see an influx of people on The Jeremy Kyle Show excusing their newly diagnosed bout of Chlamydia coming from 'the ladybird sat on my arm'.

Now, it seems people have actually started to believe that they can contract a sexually transmitted infection from an insect (a pretty cute insect at that).

Not to give anyone a lesson in sexual health or anything but that isn't really how it works, guys.

PA

A sexual health doctor told LADbible: "Various newspaper reports this week have highlighted the plight of the Harlequin species of ladybirds who are struggling with a form of fungal infection, known as Laboulbeniales disease.

"This creates yellow finger-like projections to the legs and body of the ladybird. Sensationalised headlines talking about 'Ladybird STDs' has led several patients to attend sexual health services concerned about acquiring the infection.

PA

The doctor continued: "Laboulbeniales disease is a fungal infection that only affects arthropods such as insects, centipedes, and millipedes. The poor Ladybird isn't the only species affected and is suffering from some pretty harsh stigma with reports of 'promiscuous behaviour' and 'disease ridden sex romps' only increasing concerns among patients.

"Some patients have been concerned around transmission to themselves but human spread isn't possible and Laboulbeniales disease is not known to be harmful in humans.

"In times when sexual health services are facing tremendous budget cuts and public health funding had been reduced by £531 million in total between 2015/16 and 2019/2020, pressure on sexual health services has never been greater."

It is unclear how harmful the STD could be (TO THE INSECTS), but the UK Ladybird Survey believes that it could affect the lifespan OF THE INSECT, or even the number of eggs a female ladybird can produce, which is concerning considering that native species are already threatened by habitat loss.

So there you have it people, you can live life as you were, free of any ladybird Gonorrhoea. What a time to be alive.

Topics: Entertainment, Animals, Health

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

@RJShepherd94