Harlequin Ladybird

Ladybird

This large ladybird which was seen on one of the native Field Maples (Acer campestre) that NGAG planted around Newington Green as part of our WING project, is an invasive Harlequin Ladybird, Harmonia axyridis succine. We wanted to attract wildlife to the area, but not this little creature.

These ladybirds come from Asia and were first recorded in the UK in 2004. The name 'harlequin' comes from the fact that they are very variable in appearance and can look very much like our own native species.

Harlequin ladybirds are notorious because they are a real threat to our native ladybirds, eating huge numbers of aphids (greenflies) which are the main food of our native ladybirds and lacewings. You might think that this could be a good thing - but - they even eat the larvae of our much-loved native ladybirds.

So this attractive alien perhaps gives a new slant to the traditional English nursery rhyme 'Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home'!

There is a useful Website that you can use to identify our native ladybirds and the Harlequins. If you are so inclined. this site is also running a survey of the Harlequins and is trying to track their progress as they spread through the British Isles:

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recognition_and_distinction.htm

Thanks to Richard Meyers fron the Islington Ecology Centre for confirming this identification.

10 October 2009