Harmonia Axyridis

Harmonia axyridis is a large coccinellid beetle. Its colour ranges from yellow-orange to black, and the number of spots between 0 and 22. It is native to eastern Asia, but has been introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids and scale insects. It is now common, well known and spreading in those regions.

It is commonly known in North America as Asian lady beetle, or Japanese ladybug, and in the United Kingdom as the Harlequin ladybird (the last because it occurs in numerous colour forms). It is also known in North America as the multicolored Asian lady beetle, and (because it invades homes in October in preparation for hibernation) as Halloween lady beetle. In Japan it is not generally distinguished from the seven-spot ladybird which is also common there.

When the species first arrived in the UK, it was labelled "the many-named ladybird", because among the names listed were: multivariate, southern, Japanese, and pumpkin ladybird.

Read more about Harmonia AxyridisDescription, Range, Biology and Behavior, Control