I'm Dr Katie Berry

Citizen science enthusiast; holds a fondness for Ladybirds; mother of one; maintainer of Ladybird Challenge and statistician at the Scottish Government.

PhD at The University of Stirling

My PhD (The role of parasites in the invasion biology of Harmonia axyridis) examined several ladybird parasites, including the fungus Hesperomyces virecens, and their association with the harlequin ladybird in the UK. I completed my PhD in August 2017 at the University of Stirling and graduated in May 2018.

Take the Ladybird Challenge

The Ladybird Challenge was created during my PhD as a citizen science recording project. The Ladybird Challenge asks the public to record 7-spot ladybirds and any sightings of the parasitic wasp Dinocampus coccinellae. For more information about this project, and videos explaining the background in more detail, go to The Ladybird Challenge website.

Family Time

My daughter was born in November 2018 and since then family life has been rather hectic, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

The Statistician

I currently work at the Scottish Government, analysing and presenting data to senior management relating to the current workforce in government.