Oh no!

[mrs fish]

This fell out of my willow tree yesterday
Last week I thought there was a harlequin ladybird under the tree but just as I was about to catch it it disappeared very quickly.


I know they are a bigger ladybird than our natives but are they faster?
The good news might be that blue tits are spending alot of time in the tree, would they be eating the harlequin larvae?
Do I need to report it?

[aeshna5]

I'm seeing large numbers of Harlequin larvae + adults (many fresh) at the moment. There also appear to be large numbers of recently emerged 7-spots too.

[Paul mabbott]

Don't know about faster but certainly more active - also (imagines, not larvae!) tend to take to flight more easily.

They have similar natural defences to other ladybirds so generally are not eaten by birds but if the birds are seriously short of food then they will eat them and, more commonly, will feed them to nestlings.

Originally Posted by mrs fish

This fell out of my willow tree yesterday
Last week I thought there was a harlequin ladybird under the tree but just as I was about to catch it it disappeared very quickly.
I know they are a bigger ladybird than our natives but are they faster?
The good news might be that blue tits are spending alot of time in the tree, would they be eating the harlequin larvae?
Do I need to report it?

[mrs fish]

Aeshna, what plants have you seen them on? I am just curious.

Paul, I meant do birds eat the larvae? I know they don't really eat ladybirds.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

Paul, I meant do birds eat the larvae? I know they don't really eat ladybirds.

Yes, sometimes ...

[mrs fish]

Thanks
It was very soft and squishy even though it looks spikey.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by mrs fish

Thanks
It was very soft and squishy even though it looks spikey.

Yes, the spikes are probably meant as a deterrent but they don't (to the best of my knowledge) have any defensive function.

I didn't answer your other question - yes, please report it!

[mrs fish]

Reported and sent pic

[Fourwings]

Thanks for posting the image Mrs Fish, unfortunately I'm pretty sure I saw a few of these in my garden yesterday
I'm off outside to have a look once it stops raining!!

[mrs fish]

Have you ever seen any of the ladybirds in your garden?

I had one ladybird come in the house last autumn which was eradicated and have seen two this year so far, one bit me