Can anyone identify this species of ladybug? Is this a beneficial bug or will it damage my vegetable garden?
Thanks.
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It is a Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle. The picture shown is one of several dot patterns they can have. They are a beneficial biological control during the summer, in soybean fields and gardens. They were released in the Iowa to eat soybean aphids, but have become a household nuisance during fall and winter, when they invade your house-as bad as boxelder bugs. PLUS--the little suckers can sometimes bite!
It is an Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle. The photo shown is one of several variable dot patterns they can manifest. Deep orange is the most common color. The 19 black spots may be faint or missing. It was released in Iowa to eat soybean aphids. Now they are common throughout the US. The beetles are beneficial biological control during summer in fields and gardens.
It is an Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle. The photo shown is one of several variable dot patterns they can manifest. Deep orange is the most common color. The 19 black spots may be faint or missing. It was released in Iowa to eat soybean aphids. Now they are common throughout the US. The beetles are beneficial biological control during summer in fields and gardens.
I see that the eat aphids, so I will treat them as a friend. Thanks for the information.
Hello !
Indeed, it is Harmonia axyridis the asian ladybug. They do eat aphids but unfortunately they also eat the larvae of the indigenous species of ladybugs. It is now considered one of the world's most invasive insect. They have been released to control aphids in many country in the 80's. This species was chosen because its production in numbers is a cheap process as they have a higher rate of reproduction than the others species of ladybugs. The result of this choice is that the indigenous species are disappearing in many countries in Europe for example (see this page for the results in the UK : www.harlequin-survey.org/
Hope this will help you reconsider a total friendship with this pretty bug !
Catherine
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