Variable Ladybird

Coelophora Inaequalis Fabricius, 1775. It was my intention to take 4 or 5 photos of this Variable Ladybird, to add to my collection. However, as you can see, an ant arrived on the scene and the ladybird took flight and I did not see it again. I don't know if this was a true species interaction or just that the ladybird was intending to move on even if the ant had not appeared. We all know that ladybirds like to eat aphids and that many species of ant like to eat the honeydew produced by aphids. But to try and make something out of that for this incident would be pure conjecture. I do, however, have some photos taken about four years ago showing ants, in a symbiotic relationship with aphids. I will have to check to see if there is any suggestion of ants being hostile towards ladybirds in those pictures. If there is, I will publish a spotting to show it.