NATURE lovers are being urged to keep their eyes peeled for a six-legged invader which is eating its way through the city.

The harlequin ladybird has been spotted in Richmond Street Park, Penkhull, as it works its way across the country.

It is believed the bug, which originates in East Asia, originally came to Britain in 2004 after it was used in mainland Europe as a natural pesticide because of its appetite for green fly and aphids.

But experts say the creature – which is orange and black compared to its familiar red and black British counterpart – is a ferocious breed which happily eats the eggs of other ladybirds, moths and butterflies.

The bug was originally spotted in the South East but records show it is now moving north.

Penkhull resident Penny Vickers first spotted a small number of the creatures in the garden of her Richmond Street home in August but thought nothing of it.

But last week she found hundreds more in the neighbouring park.

The 61-year-old said: "Being interested in photography, I took some pictures of them and when I was walking my dog Holly I found more.

"When the sun was out it was amazing as there were lots of them.

"I don't think people know a lot about them at the moment and it's interesting to find out more."

Craig Slawson, a co-ordinator at Staffordshire Wildlife Trust's biological record centre in Stafford, said: "Our records show the first Harlequin was spotted in Stoke-on-Trent in November 2007 at Staffordshire University.

"They have been introduced to some places intentionally, like the U.S. and Europe, but they probably reached this country because of movement of goods from across the world."

Ian Wright, research technician at the University of Cambridge's department of genetics, claims to have been the first person to spot the Harlequin in the UK.

He said: "I was out on a bike ride in Essex and had stopped at a pub.

"I spotted the ladybird and I realised it wasn't one of our native ones. I scooped it up in a bottle top and took it back to the lab.

"It started out that there were a lot in London and places like that where it was warmer but they are used to colder weather.

"I would imagine they will be in lots of the parks across Stoke-on-Trent now, but people need to record where they see them to help the research."

Peter Brown, of the UK Ladybird Survey, said: "We are trying to understand how the Harlequin ladybird is affecting native species.

"At the moment we think they are having a negative impact.

"An adult wouldn't attack another adult but a lava (a new-born ladybird) would.

"I would imagine they are all over Stoke-on-Trent now as well as Staffordshire and Cheshire."

Visitors to Richmond Street park were unaware of the new inhabitants.

Estelle Larvin, aged 37, of Watson Street in Penkhull, said: "I haven't seen any yet but will be on the lookout for them."

And 24-year-old Catrin Williams, of Harris Street, added: "I haven't seen them but my partner has. I walk my dog in the park a lot so will keep my eye out for them."

Anyone who spots the creature is asked to complete an online form on the Harlequin Ladybird Survey's website to help monitor its movements around the country.