Scientific Name: Harmonia axyridis
Common Name: Asian lady beetle, Harlequin ladybird
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Coccinellidae
Genus: Harmonia
Species: H. axyridis
The Asian lady beetle is one of the members of the Coleoptera order, which is the largest order of animals. It is also genetically related to other lady beetles belonging to the Coccinellidae family, including the seven-spotted native lady beetle (Coccinella septempunctata). Worth mentioning is that H. axyridis has an amazing range of color polymorphisms, ranging from red to orange with black spots or without black spots, an evolutionary adaptation towards mimicry and predator evasion.
Although individual Coccinellidae species fossil records are rare, beetle fossils have been found from the Permian period (~270 million years ago), providing insight into ancient Coleoptera evolutionary history (Grimaldi and Engel).
Native to East Asia (Parts of China, Japan, and Korea), the Asian lady beetle is a non-native North American species. Introduced intentionally to the U.S. in the early 20th century for biological pest control, self-sustaining populations had been established by the late 1980s (Koch).
In our cities, H. axyridis thrives in most urban green belts such as gardens, parks, and wetlands. It also happens to be a common intruder in buildings during autumn when it is in search of warm overwintering sites.
| Range Type | Location | Establishment Timeline | Key References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native Range | East Asia | N/A | N/A |
| Introduced Range | North America | Intentional 20th Century introduction. Established by 1980s | Koch |