OTHER NAMES: Asian Ladybeetle, Halloween Ladybeetle, Multicoloured Asian
Latin Etymology: Harmonia ("Goddess of Harmony") axyridis (?)
Adult Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis - unknown subspecies) at Geddington, Northants - October 2009
Length: 6-8mm
UK Status: Not Evaluated / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated
The Harlequin ladybird is an invasive species currently in the process of establishing itself in the UK. It is hugely variable in appearance - it can be black on red, red on black, orange on black or black on orange with anywhere between 0 and 22 spots on its back. It is potentially threatening native ladybirds by competing for food. Intriguingly, however the history of this population is a bit more complex - therewere repeated attempts to inroduce it to the US, which all failed until a single wild population near New Orleans became established, and quickly spread across the states, and if is from this population that the species arrived in the UK. Presumably that population developed some genetic or behavioural adaptation which allowed it to spread in a way the original ones hadn't been able to.
Related Species:
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Harmonia
SUBSPECIES: H. a. aulica, H. a. conspicua, H. a. equicolor, H. a. forma, H. a. frigida, H. a. intermedia, H. a. novemdecimsignata, H. a. siccoma, H. a. spectabilis, H. a. succinea, H. a. transversifascia
- Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - An introduced species that is spreading throughout the UK
- Seen in Geddington and various other sites
Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto
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