Harlequin Ladybirds

[Paul mabbott]

As Black Rabbit has said - there has been a lot of earlier discussion on the potential problems of the 'harlequin' ladybird, Harmonia axyridis - so good to keep it to one thread.
Reports this weekend that it has reached Oslo, Norway: the furthest north it has been seen in Europe - so no reason it shouldn't appear in Edinburgh.
Also noted that it has been aggregating in Holland - in the past this has corresponded with flights across the North Sea. Might also suggest that the same may occur in UK. There haven't been so many seen this year as last but then there haven't been so many ladybirds or other insects generally.

It's still very useful to record observations - either at the national survey or to local recorders.

[Dan Salter]

Paul...since my indoor invasion of them when we moved into this house around last christmas we have had the old wooden sashes replaced with new double glaxed reproductions so no more indoors............But

Outside currently i have an explosion of them,....im not sure of the breeding and behaviour of them...but there are larvae just about everwhere i look and adults in more pattern colour variations than i witnessed last year....Is it normal for the change over from larvae to adult to happen at this time of year?...i witnessed my first half and half...in betweeny yesterday which i showed my old mum.
I know one thing that is attracting them to our house, my car, our lean too wooden garage, our plastic wheelie bin/dustbin ............. SUNDEW.

We are bordered by NT land and a large Sycamore ( yuk ) woodland shaw at the side of our drive so EVERYTHING including my lovely shiny newish car gets coated in sticky SUNDEW which wasps love and it would appear so do the harlequins...would this make sense or just a coincidence?

Dan

[Paul mabbott]

Morning Dan - I think you mean honeydew? Yes, ladybirds of all kinds like that - it means that there are aphids to eat and if they need a quick carbohydrate burst they can sip the honeydew. Sycamore and birch both have heavy aphid loads at this time of year so are very good for predatory ladybirds.

As you say, it's unusual for ladybirds to be around as larvae at this time of year - most should have metamorphosed into imagines by now and be looking for somewhere to overwinter. However this has been a very odd year and lots of ladybirds of all species are still present in larval or pupal forms.

It's less unusual for haxy: unlike our native species that only (usually have one generation each year, the 'harlequin' regularly has three, often more generations so there are constantly larvae and pupae - right up to December (of course many of these don't survive the winter).

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Paul...since my indoor invasion of them when we moved into this house around last christmas we have had the old wooden sashes replaced with new double glaxed reproductions so no more indoors............But

Outside currently i have an explosion of them,....im not sure of the breeding and behaviour of them...but there are larvae just about everwhere i look and adults in more pattern colour variations than i witnessed last year....Is it normal for the change over from larvae to adult to happen at this time of year?...i witnessed my first half and half...in betweeny yesterday which i showed my old mum.
I know one thing that is attracting them to our house, my car, our lean too wooden garage, our plastic wheelie bin/dustbin ............. SUNDEW.

We are bordered by NT land and a large Sycamore ( yuk ) woodland shaw at the side of our drive so EVERYTHING including my lovely shiny newish car gets coated in sticky SUNDEW which wasps love and it would appear so do the harlequins...would this make sense or just a coincidence?

Dan

[Dan Salter]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Morning Dan - I think you mean honeydew? Yes, ladybirds of all kinds like that - it means that there are aphids to eat and if they need a quick carbohydrate burst they can sip the honeydew. Sycamore and birch both have heavy aphid loads at this time of year so are very good for predatory ladybirds.

As you say, it's unusual for ladybirds to be around as larvae at this time of year - most should have metamorphosed into imagines by now and be looking for somewhere to overwinter. However this has been a very odd year and lots of ladybirds of all species are still present in larval or pupal forms.

It's less unusual for haxy: unlike our native species that only (usually have one generation each year, the 'harlequin' regularly has three, often more generations so there are constantly larvae and pupae - right up to December (of course many of these don't survive the winter).

Ooops feel like a wally now yes i meant honeydew of course...but yes thanks for explaining things...makes sense.

[flowerofedin]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

As Black Rabbit has said - there has been a lot of earlier discussion on the potential problems of the 'harlequin' ladybird, Harmonia axyridis - so good to keep it to one thread.
Reports this weekend that it has reached Oslo, Norway: the furthest north it has been seen in Europe - so no reason it shouldn't appear in Edinburgh.
Also noted that it has been aggregating in Holland - in the past this has corresponded with flights across the North Sea. Might also suggest that the same may occur in UK. There haven't been so many seen this year as last but then there haven't been so many ladybirds or other insects generally.

It's still very useful to record observations - either at the national survey or to local recorders.

Hi again, folks! Paul I haven't seen any as yet, and we do live fairly close to the countryside. I have been too worried about our dog to post much lately as his favourite cat died, and he docked his own tail!!! I shall post a photo if I see any

Annabel

[Paul mabbott]

It's okay - you get used to it ....
Still seeing haxy larvae here but no reports from further north - hope flowerofedin has time to do some searching!

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

Ooops feel like a wally now yes i meant honeydew of course...but yes thanks for explaining things...makes sense.

[Wild-Woman]

I have seen 2 Harlequins today. Both indoors on the windowsill of a classroom.

[Dan Salter]

2? i can see about 2 per square inch at my place lol....im thinking of renaming the house "Harlequin Cottage".

[flowerofedin]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

It's okay - you get used to it ....
Still seeing haxy larvae here but no reports from further north - hope flowerofedin has time to do some searching!

Now when would I have time to do any searching????? Next time I take the dog out, OK?????

Annabel

[Paul mabbott]

In London last week all but one of the ladybirds seen were 'harlequins' and most of those were of the many-spotted succinea form but about ten percent were conspicua - the bulls-eye pattern! Didn't see a single one of the four (or more) spotted melanic spectabilis form. Don't have an explanation for that ...