A UK-wide survey is being launched to track an alien ladybird that threatens the existence of native species. The harlequin (Harmonia axyridis) was first spotted in Britain in September last year and is largely confined to the South East. But the invader is a voracious predator that easily out-competes home bugs for food and is likely to spread north. Scientists want gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts to report sightings of the pest to www.harlequin-survey.org.

The harlequin has a distinctive head marking Originally from Asia, the harlequin was probably imported into the UK on plants that camefrom continental Europe. Sightings of the beetle have been mainly restricted to the south east, extending to Hampshire ln the west and Norfolk in the north. The insect has a huge appetite for greenfly, leaving little for native ladybirds who then starve.Worse still, the harlequin will turn on other ladybirds if food resources diminish for the whole population. The invader will also prey on other types of insects, eating butterfly eggs, caterpillars and lacewing larvae. Harlequin ladybirds are also partial to soft fruit, particularly pears.

The harlequin may sound like a bit of a jester but there is nothing funny about it at all," said Matt Shardlow, from invertebrate conservation group Buglife. 'There are a whole lot of problems it will bring with it. It out-competes native species and eats them. Everyone should be vigilant for the species and record where it is." The fear is they will sweep aside many of the 46 species from the ladybird family (Coccinellidae) in Britain. The survey is being organised by researchers from the University of Cambridge, Anglia Polytechnic University, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Natural History Museum and The Wildlife Trusts. The call is for all gardeners, farmers, wildlife enthusiasts and anyone with a love of ladybirds to examine trees, bushes and plants and record all ladybirds, including the harlequin, they find.

Surveyors are asked to report any sightings of the harlequin ladybird, including where it was found (using a grid reference or postcode), the date and how many ladybirds there were. A photograph of the ladybird would also help verification of each find. This information should go to www.hariequin-survey.org, where there is also further information on the insects, including some good photographs. All other ladybird sightings should be reported to www.ladybird-survey.org. Now is the time that ladybirds are waking up and begin looking for partners with which to mate. Ladybirds are normally found wherever there is food. Any plant, shrub or tree with greenfly or scale insects may attract
harlequins.

Source - BBC News