Harmonia axyridis larva · azijinė boružė, lerva ^Thumbnails^Thumbnails^Thumbnails

Harmonia axyridis larva · azijinė boružė, lerva

  • harlequin, multicoloured Asian, Asian lady beetle
  • Asiatische Marienkäfer, Harlekin-Marienkäfer
  • azijinė boružė
  • daudzveidīgā mārīte
  • biedronka azjatycka

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_axyridis Harmonia axyridis is native to eastern Asia from central Siberia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in the west, through Russia south to the Himalayas and east to the Pacific coast and Japan, including Korea, Mongolia, China, and Taiwan. As a voracious predator, it was identified as a biocontrol agent for aphids and scale insects. Consequently, it has been introduced into greenhouses, crop fields, and gardens in many countries, including the United States and parts of Europe. The species is now established in North America, Central America, South America, Europe.

This species is widely considered to be one of the world's most invasive insects, partly due to their tendency to overwinter indoors and the unpleasant odor and stain left by their bodily fluids when frightened or crushed. In Europe it is currently increasing to the detriment of indigenous species, its voracious appetite enabling it to outcompete and even consume other ladybirds. The harlequin ladybird is also highly resistant to diseases that affect other ladybird species, and carries a microsporidian parasite to which it is immune, but that can infect and kill other species. Native ladybird species have experienced often dramatic declines in areas invaded by H. axyridis.

It is of the most variable species of the ladybirds in the world, with an exceptionally wide range of colour forms.

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