Quote:
Originally Posted by camille1585
I recognize it, from my biocontrol course last week. It is a ladybug, Harmonia axyridis. It's recognized by it's 19 spots and the M shaped black mark on it's thorax,redish/brown legs, and the fact that it likes to overwinter in warm places. It is an asian species, introduced in Europe and the USA to kill aphids.
But while it is a good bug, the big problem with it is that it's population (at least in Europe) is growing rapidly, at the expense of the native ladybugs. This asian one actually feeds on the native ladybugs. I don't know if this is the case in north america, but I think it is safe to assume yes.
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Yep, definitely an Asian ladybug. Interesting point you bring up Camille. I did a search after reading this and there are no negative reports about Asian ladybugs in the U.S. I found one experiment that found that the Asian species out-competes the native ladybugs because they are more active at colder temperatures. Unfortunately, the experiment only mentioned the positive aspects of this detail. For farmers looking for biological pest control, it makes sense that a ladybug that continues eating aphids at lower temperatures is a good thing. But the study did not explore the ecological impact of a non-native species potentially displacing the native species.
But hey, I'm sure we Americans will start thinking about that and catch on right after it's too late to fix anything.
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