Ladybird romance between Asian and two-spotted ladybird?

[bonitin]

Hi,
I found these two having an affair in my local nature park, Gent, Belgium on 13th May.

I'm quite sure of the red one being an Asian ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) but not entirely confident about the other, I thought could be the black variation of the two-spotted ladybird (Adalia bipunctata)? If so that would mean that the two different species would cross?



A picture of the same two-spotted one before they met..

[Paul mabbott]

No, the melaniuc is Harmonia axyridis the so-called 'harlequin ladybird'. Its size and shape along with the position of the elytral patches and the large white areas on the pronotum are typical of H. axyridis.

There are rare examples of mating between different species of the same genus (e.g. Adalia bipunctata with Adalia decempunctata - they haven't been shown to p[roduce viable offspring. Crosses between genera are not recorded for ladybirds or, indeed, most animals.

Originally Posted by bonitin

Hi,
I'm quite sure of the red one being an Asian ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) but not entirely confident about the other, I thought could be the black variation of the two-spotted ladybird (Adalia bipunctata)? If so that would mean that the two different species would cross?

[bonitin]

Ah that makes it all clear, many thanks Paul!

[Mungo]

A little off topic, but - Isn't Gent the place that is going vegetarian once a week?