Odd Ladybird

Chris Pickford · Post by **Chris Pickford** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 2:46 pm

A bit off topic really.....but are there any ladybird-ologists out there? I've just had a number of these very large (8mm), slightly odd looking ladybirds on my window ledge in S. Oxon. Are they harelquins? Some yellow, some tawny, some dark red. Sorry about the poor picture quality....

Post by **Padfield** » Thu Oct 11, 2007 4:36 pm

There's a good page on recognising harlequins here:

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/recogni ... ction.htm#

Guy

PS - Yours does look quite good for harlequin to me, though I'm not even a beginner, let alone an expert.

Chris Pickford · Post by **Chris Pickford** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 7:23 pm

Thanks Guy

I had a look - no doubt about it. On my way home I saw a lot more by the Thames at Culham. I hope they are not eating all our leps larvae....

eccles · Post by **eccles** » Sat Oct 13, 2007 8:33 pm

They're spreading fast through the UK and my local park is infested with them. I saw 20 along an iron railing that was catching the sun on Thursday last. My instructions from the AWT is to positively identify them then squash them. Orange body + black spots + brown legs/antennae = harlequin. Other combinations need more care.
Among those 20 that I saw, there were just two UK individuals, a 2-spot plus an orange, the one with white spots.
Harlequins eat lepidoptera larvae and eggs, and native ladybirds.