Worcestershire Record No. 23 November 2007 p. 5

THE HARLEQUIN LADYBIRD HARMONIA AXYRIDIS

Harry Green

In Worcestershire Record No 22 April 2007) I guardedly predicted that 2007 could be the year of the Harlequin in Worcestershire following the great national spread in recent years. This is probably true as we have received a regular but small flow of records from sites right across the county. Recent records of Harlequins coming indoors in October reinforce its pet name of The Halloween Beetle. The records that reach us are probably just the tip of the iceberg! We hope to produce a distribution map in the April 2008 issue of Worcestershire Record so if you have any records please send them into the WBRC in the near future. Many thanks to those who have already sent in records. For further information see Worcestershire Record No. 21, November 2006

Brett Westwood found a colony in his garden and was able to see the larvae and pupae. They are very characteristic (see Roger Umpelby’s article on Aphids in this issue). Pictures of those in Brett’s garden follow. When these eventually reach our web site they can be seen in colour.

Two adults and a pupa Two larvae

WBRC Home Worcs Record Listing by Issue Worcs Record Listing by Subject