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• Harlequin Ladybird

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Harlequin Ladybird - Harmonia axyridis spp.
Family - Coccinellidae
Also known as - Multicoloured Asian or Halloween ladybird

A non native introduced species about the same size as the common 7–spot ladybird, the Harlequin is 6–8mm (0.25–0.3in) long.  It has many and variable spot variations and is sometimes confused with other ladybird species.  It can be Red or Orange, have from zero to twenty one spots, it can also be black with two to eight red patches.  The pupae which usually are found on the upper surface of leaves are quite distinctive with a fringe of black and white bristles.  The larvae grow to 10mm long also have a distinctive patterning of two orange "bands" on segments 3–7 with pairs of orange spots central to the bands on segments 3, 6 and 7, (see photo 5).

In the UK melanistic ladybirds are quite rare so there is a good chance that any found will be Harlequins.  The sides of the fore body (pronotum) are mostly white, with a characteristic "M" or "W" shape in black.  A voracious eater of smaller insects and aphids it was potentially useful in biological control of pest species, however it out competes other ladybird species whose populations decline by starvation.  Once it has cleared the aphid population it starts eating other invertebrates, other ladybird species, Hover flies, Lacewings and Butterflies.

Introduced into the USA about 25 years ago it has established there very rapidly.  First found in the UK in September 2004 it has again spread across the Southern UK extremely quickly.  These photos of Harlequins were all taken in Brickfields Park and show the quite common Orange 19–spot variant (H. axyridis succinea), and the rarer melanistic 2–spot (H. axyridis conspicua) and another 19–spot having just left its larval case.

For more information about Harlequin Ladybirds see the Harlequin Ladybird Survey

Harlequin Ladybird	19–spot Harlequin	Melanistic 2–spot Harlequin H. axyridis conspicua
19–spot Harlequin and pupae	Harlequin larva	Harlequin larva
All Photos ©2007– - Click any photo for a larger image

• Coccinellinae
• 2–spot ladybird
• 5–spot ladybird – Coccinella 5–punctata
• 7–spot ladybird
• 10–spot ladybird
• 11–spot ladybird – Coccinella 11–punctata
• 13–spot ladybird – Hippodamia 13–punctata
• 14–spot ladybird
• 16–spot ladybird – Tytthaspis 16–punctata
• 18–spot ladybird – Myrrha 18–guttata
• 22–spot ladybird
• Adonis ladybird – Hippodamia variegata
• Cream–spot ladybird – Calvia 14–guttata
• Cream–streaked ladybird – Harmonia 4–punctata
• Eyed ladybird – Anatis ocellata
• Harlequin ladybird
• Hieroglyphic ladybird – Coccinella hieroglyphica
• Larch ladybird – Aphidecta obliterata
• Orange ladybird
• Scarce 7–spot ladybird – Coccinella magnifica
• Striped ladybird – Myzia oblongoguttata
• Water ladybird – Anisosticta 19–punctata

• Chilocorinae
• Kidney–spot ladybird – Chilocorus renipustulatus
• Heather ladybird – Chilocorus 2–pustulatus
• Pine ladybird – Exochromus 4–pustulatus

• Epilachninae
• Bryony ladybird – Epilachna argus
• 24–spot ladybird – Subcoccinella 24–punctata

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