Have you ever seen small red points moving in your yard? Those can be Japanese Ladybugs, they are red, black or orange beetles with spots usually black. You can find it in your own garden. They are very small, and you might think it is just another insect in nature but after you read farther interesting facts, you will have a better appreciation of this unique insect.

The Asian Lady beetle  is a distinctive insect. “Is a typical coccinellid beetle in shape and structure”, being circular and having a ‘smooth’ transition between its wings and head.  Its coloration occurs in three color forms: red or orange with black spots, black with four red spots and black with two red spots, is typically large (7–8 mm long)  To identify a lady beetle as H. axyridis, look at the thorax, some black spots are together to form an M-shaped marking.  In Asia, the beetles invernate in large groups. North American populations have adapted by moving indoors for winter.

Gardens are full of these beetles. It is “...native from Asia and came to North America by the mid-1990’s.” Is now established in the North America, part of South America, Europe and South Africa. It is find in cropping areas and in North America it is find in a great variety of field crops and nursery and ornamental plants like rose, Christmas trees, apple trees, cotton and small grains  “Female Ladybugs produce clusters of 20 to 50 yellow oval-shaped eggs in the early spring” so the population is increasing every year.–Take a slow walk around your garden and I am sure you will see these interesting beetles.

Humans can appreciate the value of the Japanese Ladybug.  “It eats other insects"  It feed the pests which destroy our plants, It eats mostly aphids which are serious pests of plants, so it can be the gardeners best friends because  it will control the pest without having to use chemical pesticides. It also eats other insects with soft bodies, like mites and white flies. Its coloration is of bright colors and serve a warning sign for its predators that it doesn't taste good. And if is attacked by a predator the H. axyridis ooze a yellow and smelling liquid (its blood) from its leg joints which usually convince its attacker to no continue snacking on them.

The H.axyridis can seem insignificant in view of many, but they have a great ecological and economic importance by its nourishing habits. It belongs to a relatively common group, because there is around 6 thousand species grouped in six subfamilies within the Coccinellidae family.

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Author: Ana Cris P.
Published: 1/13

Sources: "Harmonia Axyridis." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. 16 Jan. 2012. Web. Jan.-Feb. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_axyridis>.

"Asian Multicolored Lady Beetle - Habits and Traits of Asian Multicolored Lady Beetle, Harmonia Axyridis." Insects, Spiders, and Other Arthropods. Web. Jan.-Feb. 2012. <http://insects.about.com/od/beetles/p/haxyridis.htm>.

"Issg Database: Ecology of." IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). Web. Jan.-Feb. 2012. <http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?fr=1>.

Insects., Eating Pest. "Have You Wondered: What Do Ladybugs Eat?" Articles About the Ladybug Life Cycle. Web. Jan.-Feb. 2012. <http://www.ladybug-life-cycle.com/what-ladybugs-eat.html

>."Ladybug Legends & Lore!" Welcome To CelticBug.com! Web. 08 Feb. 2012. <http://www.celticbug.com/Legends/Lore.html>.

Photo Credit: "Ladybug Lady: Pictures." The Ladybug Lady: Your #1 Ladybug Info Site. Web. Jan.-Feb. 2012. <http://www.ladybuglady.com/ladybugweb9.htm>.