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| | | Asian ladybird | The Asian ladybird (Harmonia axyridis) - this is what the British call it, it’s often a ladybug in America, also known as the Multicolored Asian ladybird or Harlequin ladybird , was brought from Japan to Europe for the purpose of biological pest control at the end of the 20th Century. It has become very widespread.
The body length of the Asian ladybird is from 6 to 8 mm, and its body width is from 5 to 7 mm. The color of the beetles is from a wide spectrum. The wing covers are light yellow to dark red in color . An Asian ladybird usually has 19 spots , although the spots may be so large that the basic color of the wing cover appears to be black, and the red color appears to be the spots. Likewise, the spots can be missing or very faint. The yellowish neck shield bears a drawing in the form of a black "W" or "M". | | |
| | | | The basic color of the larvae is initially yellow; they later turn to black or blue-grey. Its body is covered with bristles. Some segments of the abdomen are orange coloured. | | |
| | | Asian ladybird feed on large quantities of aphids (from 100 to 270 per day), but also feed on other insects, eggs and larvae.
The Asian ladybird secretes a yellow, bitter poison (hemolymph) when in danger , which significantly reduces the number of its enemies. | | |
| | | The female of the species lays its eggs on plants that are infested by aphids. The larvae slip off after a few days and eat up to 1200 aphids during the two weeks of their development. The larva turns into a pupa on a leaf. After about one week the adult Asian ladybird slip off the pupa.
At the production of wine the Asian lady beetle can be a problem. The hemolymph of the beetle affects the taste so dramatically, that the wine is unfit to drink.
Asian ladybirds are commonly found in populated areas, where they seek out (often in large numbers) apartments and houses to hibernate , and can thus be a pest. | | |
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| | Further chapters of "Asian lady beetle" | |
| | Description of images / photos | | 1. | Asian lady beetle - harlequin lady beetle | | 2. | Asian lady beetle - Harmonia axyridis | | 3. | Beetle - Harmonia axyridis - top view | | 4. | Asian lady beetle |
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