I’ve seen groups of various ladybirds in autumn before; but I have never seen a gathering of so many 16 spot ladybirds. They are small and despite their numbers I almost overlooked them. The most I have seen previously of this scarcer southerly distributed species is two! Gathered in their thousands for security they will spend the winter hibernating on the gatepost and wall where they were found.
Letter From Norfolk 
Wow! What an interesting sight.
I thought so too Sonya!
Dare I say it? That was a good “spot” by you. The photo is very striking. It shows how even “simple” things can make a very effective image.
Malcolm
Yeah – spot on Malcolm!
It wasn’t me that found them but a good friend. Even with excellent directions it was difficult to find them – they are so small and not brightly coloured.
I’ve seen large gatherings of 16-spots in Spring after coming out of hibernation but never seen them actually hibernating
The maximum I’d ever seen previously was two Stuart! If you have seen them coming out of hibernation I would suggest they may have been hibernating nearby. Hibernation places tend to be reused … Id suggest it would be worth checking around the general area where you saw them.