Alien invader found in Warwick garden
By Steve Roberts, 12 Jul 2008
Several adults and pupae of a large and unusual ladybird were recently spotted in a Warwick garden. An e-mail of photos to the the Harlequin Ladybird survey confirmed that they were an alien species to the UK - the harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis). These alien invaders are a threat to our own indigenous ladybird species and have been spreading north and west since their first sighting in 2004 in the South East. A native of Asia and introduced as a biological control agent, it is the most invasive ladybird on earth. To report sightings and for more info on this and other ladybirds visit the harlequin survey website.
Tags: pests; insects
