The Asia lady beetle alternately called the harlequin multicolored Asian beetle is a member of the family of ladybugs. It is easily recognizable from its red elytra and black spots, though the number of spots and exact coloration varies in each specimen. Most have 19 spots, a few lesser or even more than that, while some may have no spots at all. Though a native to Asia, it was introduced to the West as a biological control agent for aphids and other pests.
While this beetle is similar in appearance to the ladybug, and both belong to the same family, they are not the same species of insect. Asian lady beetles tend to be longer. Also, the Asian beetle can bite hard enough to break human skin, which the ladybug does not.
Size: 0.55–0.85 cm
Color: Reddish-orange with up to 22 black spots in some beetles. The legs of these beetles are reddish brown.
Other Characteristic Features: Their bodies are domed, with a pair of smooth elytra. Females are bigger than males, while males have larger antennae.
The larvae are black and orange, looking like miniature alligators. There are spines present on both col3 of their body. They mostly mature on plants where their food source is available in plenty.
Pupation of these beetles occurs incol3 a cocoon made of their skin, which remains attached to a host plant.
The oval-shaped eggs are yellow, and laid in clusters on the undercol3s of leaves of the host plant.
| Other names | Harlequin beetle, Multicolored Asian beetle, Asian beetle, Halloween beetle, Chinese beetle, multivariate beetle, southern beetle, Japanese ladybeetle, pumpkin ladybird beetle, etc. |
| Lifespan | 1-3 months. Some of them however have been observed to live up to 3 years. |
| Distribution | Native: Eastern Asia Invasive: Throughout the world, including North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Central America (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama), South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela), Europe (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland), Israel, and South Africa. |
| Habitat | Agricultural landscapes, meadows, open areas, savanna grasslands, scrub forests, suburban environments, temperate and terrestrial forests. |
| Seasons active | Late winter to early spring |
| Host plants | Apple, cherry, corn, grape, peach, plum, rose, etc. |
| Diet of adults | Aphids |
These beetles do not cause any damage as adults, and it is recommended to leave them alone as they are not particularly harmful. However, vast numbers of these beetles may infest certain places in the search of a place to overwinter.
The larvae may cause some damage to certain fruits.
Image Source: ohioline.osu.edu, img.apmcdn.org, static.inaturalist.org, ohioline.osu.edu, bugguide.net, bugguide.net, jppestservices.com, static.wikia.nocookie.net, s3-wp-lyleprintingandp.netdna-ssl.com, hips.hearstapps.com, rd.com
The Asia lady beetle alternately called the harlequin multicolored Asian beetle is a member of the family of ladybugs. It is easily recognizable from its red elytra and black spots, though the number of spots and exact coloration varies in each specimen. Most have 19 spots, a few lesser or even more than that, while some may have no spots at all. Though a native to Asia, it was introduced to the West as a biological control agent for aphids and other pests.
While this beetle is similar in appearance to the ladybug, and both belong to the same family, they are not the same species of insect. Asian lady beetles tend to be longer. Also, the Asian beetle can bite hard enough to break human skin, which the ladybug does not.
Size: 0.55–0.85 cm
Color: Reddish-orange with up to 22 black spots in some beetles. The legs of these beetles are reddish brown.
Other Characteristic Features: Their bodies are domed, with a pair of smooth elytra. Females are bigger than males, while males have larger antennae.
The larvae are black and orange, looking like miniature alligators. There are spines present on both col3 of their body. They mostly mature on plants where their food source is available in plenty.
Pupation of these beetles occurs incol3 a cocoon made of their skin, which remains attached to a host plant.
The oval-shaped eggs are yellow, and laid in clusters on the undercol3s of leaves of the host plant.
| Other names | Harlequin beetle, Multicolored Asian beetle, Asian beetle, Halloween beetle, Chinese beetle, multivariate beetle, southern beetle, Japanese ladybeetle, pumpkin ladybird beetle, etc. |
| Lifespan | 1-3 months. Some of them however have been observed to live up to 3 years. |
| Distribution | Native: Eastern Asia Invasive: Throughout the world, including North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Central America (Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama), South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela), Europe (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland), Israel, and South Africa. |
| Habitat | Agricultural landscapes, meadows, open areas, savanna grasslands, scrub forests, suburban environments, temperate and terrestrial forests. |
| Seasons active | Late winter to early spring |
| Host plants | Apple, cherry, corn, grape, peach, plum, rose, etc. |
| Diet of adults | Aphids |
These beetles do not cause any damage as adults, and it is recommended to leave them alone as they are not particularly harmful. However, vast numbers of these beetles may infest certain places in the search of a place to overwinter.
The larvae may cause some damage to certain fruits.
Image Source: ohioline.osu.edu, img.apmcdn.org, static.inaturalist.org, ohioline.osu.edu, bugguide.net, bugguide.net, jppestservices.com, static.wikia.nocookie.net, s3-wp-lyleprintingandp.netdna-ssl.com, hips.hearstapps.com, rd.com
