Thousands of ladybugs have flocked to the Altai Republic for the winter.

In anticipation of the first frosts, insects invade the walls of houses, rocks, and any sun-warmed surfaces en masse. Videos of thousands of ladybugs have spread wildly across Telegram channels and public groups.

A particularly epic situation developed in the village Yailu in Altai Reserve. According to local staff, the cows are flying in huge swarms, and entire "snowdrifts" of dead individuals are already forming at the foot of the cliffs.

The main culprit of the commotion was the harlequin ladybird. It's an effective natural aphid fighter, but also an aggressive species that displaces other insects. These ladybirds can even bite people, attracted to the salt on human skin.

As the doctor of biological sciences explains Oleg Kosteryn, we are not talking about an abnormal population growth, but about the deliberate concentration of ladybugs in their usual wintering places, where, by coincidence, people live.