The large orange beetles and their hairy larvae have decimated his crop of potatoes, zucchini, beans and pumpkins.

While the majority of ladybugs species are predators that eat pests such as aphids and are welcomed by gardeners, the 28 spot variety is a strict vegetarian with a very healthy appetite.

John said his vegetable patch has been destroyed by the beetles which he has encountered for the first time this summer.

“I first noticed the cream coloured hairy larvae on the potato leaves, but I didn’t know what they were.

“There were also a lot of ladybugs around, but I didn’t link the two.

“I assumed all ladybugs were good for the garden.

“They have now attacked almost every plant in my garden – they’re everywhere.”

John said he looked up the larvae on the Internet site ‘What’s That Bug’ and soon learned the culprit.

“I was surprised to find out it was ladybug larvae.

“They are a large beetle and fatter than your normal ladybug,” he said.

Other gardeners have also reported swarms of the vegetarian lady bugs on their crops this year, with the warm, humid weather providing ideal breeding conditions.

John and his wife Julia said they try not to spray their garden, but have been using pyrethrum in an effort to control the pests.

“I don’t know if it’s working, because they’re still all over everything and are starting to attack more plants like tomatoes,” he said.

The 28 Spotted Ladybug, also known as the leaf-eating ladybird, can grow up to one centimetre long and, as their name suggests, have 28 large black spots.

The best way to control the bugs is to hand pick them from the leaves and to control their favourite food – blackberry nightshade – where infestations often begin or use a systemic spray such as Confidor.