Like the adult ladybirds, the Harlequin pupae come in a variety of shades and patterns. They are difficult to distinguish from the pests they devour. Lady beetles, ladybugs, ladybird beetles or whatever you can them, are one of the most beneficial insects in the garden. Harlequin ladybird eggs are yellow/orange and laid in groups on leaves, they are approximately 1-2mm in length and not readily distinguished from the eggs of other ladybirds. Harlequin ladybird larvae (Harmonia axyridis) Ladybird larvae identifier: harlequin ladybird larvae (Harmonia axyridis) Harlequin ladybird larvae is black and spiny with strong orange, upside down L-shaped marks on each side and four small orange spots. The larvae feed on aphids and other insects before pupating after two to three weeks. Native melanic ladybirds are rarely seen and they are usually much smaller. Beautiful colour paintings by Chris Shields show the key colours and patterns to look out. A Harlequin ladybird can live for up to 3 years under suitable conditions. There are no means of controlling harlequin ladybirds, since any actions taken against them would also be harmful to native ladybirds, other aphid predators and other insects. Introduction to harlequin colour forms 2. In autumn adults seek overwintering sites and can form large aggregations, these can become particularly evident on the south side of buildings and other structures. The two most common forms are black with two red spots or orange with 18 black spots. Mating usually takes place nearby rich sources of aphids to secure food availability for the larvae after hatching. When found in buildings the ladybirds can be tolerated or captured and released out of doors. Like all beetles, the Harlequin ladybird has four stages in its life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Unfortunately it is not possible to discourage the ladybirds from entering buildings and they will either need to be captured and removed or tolerated. The Harlequin is typically a little larger than our native 7-spot, although sizes vary. Adults Adult harlequin ladybirds may be red or orange with zero to 21 black spots. Some of these native ladybirds can appear similar to those of the harlequin ladybird and it is often not easy to determine which species has been found. Image: James Bailey / CC-BY-NC Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis.Image: Jacob Littlejohn / CC-BY … This is one of the most variable species in the world, with an exceptionally wide range of color forms. Harlequin Ladybirds can be red, orange or mainly black (melanic). Mon – Fri | 9am – 5pm, Join the RHS today and support our charity. How to recognise a harlequin ladybird 1. A common ladybord species is the 7-spot ladybird. Some of the more than 40 species of ladybird native to the UK also have many colour forms. Harmonia axyridis, most commonly known as the harlequin, multicolored Asian, or Asian ladybeetle, is a large coccinellid beetle. ; however, many countries do not have a species specific common name for H. axyridis, but do have a general name for ladybirds, for example, marihøne (Norway) and mariehøne (Denmark). ... Ladybug Larvae Identification. This ladybird has many colour forms, some of which can appear similar to native ladybirds. They are difficult to distinguish from the pests they devour. The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is native to Asia but has been intentionally introduced to many countries as a biological control agent of pest insects. Identification of British ladybirds I: Field key to adult British ladybirds II: Key to all the adult British Coccinellidae III: Field key to the larvae of British ladybirds 9. Harlequins can have anything from 0 - 19 black spots which vary in size. The red/orange version with black spots has a … Harlequin ladybirds overwinter in sheltered places often in large groups, including inside buildings. Striped Ladybird Myzia oblongoguttata (more images) Another tree-dwelling ladybird. Image: Jeff Fryett / CC-BY-NC Eleven-spotted ladybird Coccinella undecimpunctata larva. Lady beetles, ladybugs, ladybird beetles or whatever you can them, are one of the most beneficial insects in the garden. The process of getting to be an adult ladybug is somewhat convoluted and requires a four stage life cycle process known as complete metamorphosis. The Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), the world's most invasive ladybird, has been detected establishing in Auckland.The biosecurity staff of the Ministry for Primary Industries having been work hard to figure out how far it's already spread. Ladybirds in their environment 4. As with many other ladybirds, harlequin ladybird primarily feeds on aphids and so can be considered a useful addition to garden insect fauna. They may be all black or black with four or two orange or red spots. The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis became established in the UK in 2004 and is now widespread. Some have yellow or orange markings and some have hairs or spikes. The FSC Ladybird larvae guide features the larvae and pupae of 26 species in Britain and Ireland.