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April Harmonia axyridis seminar (Best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer) Multi-Coloured Asian Lady Beetle presentation, 1 slide per page Multi-Coloured Asian Lady Beetle presentation, 4 slides per page Questions and Answers about Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) - The Multicoloured Asian Lady Beetle (Information compiled from sources listed at end and personal communications directly with research entomologists and biologists) Please feel free to use the information and circulate provided author/source credit is given. For additional clarification see the various web sites and journal publications. Prepared by Kevin W. Ker, M.Sc. P.Ag April 2002   kcms@sympatico.ca   (905) 945-8228 Kevin W. Ker served as a provincial specialist with the Ontario government for over 15 years and is the author of numerous publications on fruit production and pest control. Since 1997 he has operated a regional pest monitoring program and independent crop advisory service across Ontario for Tree Fruit and Grapes. He teaches at Brock University and has been a featured speaker at programs in Canada and internationally for premium grape and wine production and reduced pesticide use. 1. Where did this beetle come from? This particular species, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) is from the Far East regions of Asia. It has been identified as native to Korea, Japan, China, Himalayas, Formosa (Taiwan), Siberia and the Bonin Islands. It was introduced into France in 1982 from China for biological control in orchards. It goes a variety of common names depending on the area and reflective of its variable colours. This species has been called the Asian lady beetle, Japanese lady beetle, Halloween lady beetle, Southern lady beetle but the accepted common named is the Multicoloured Asian lady beetle. The first reports of this beetle in North America were as introductions for biological control of scale and aphid insects in California in 1916. Further releases of this insect took place in the mid 1960's without successful establishment. From 1978 through 1982, this species was released in the eastern United States and Canada (Nova Scotia). There are some questions about true establishment, as these release programs did not appear to be successful. The first reports of successful establishment (recovery) were in 1988 in Louisiana. Though debate continues on the exact point of origin for establishment, this species is found throughout the eastern seaboard with observations from Florida through Quebec, Texas through Missouri and western locales such as Oregon, British Columbia, Washington and central states such as Ohio, Wisconsin. Kentucky and Illinois. 2. Is this a new insect to Ontario? This is not really a new insect to Ontario, though its appearance is relatively recent. H. axyridis was first identified in Ontario by Dr. Steve Marshall (University of Guelph) in 1994. It was identified the same year in Quebec apple orchards and in Ontario orchards (Hagley 1999). What made this an unusual find was the large number of "morphs' or patterns on the elytra and colours for the same species. Dr. Hagley in a survey of beneficial insects in orchards found more than 20 variants of the same insect. He admits his surprise when submitting the species for identification to Ottawa revealed that the bulk of the lady beetles were the same species. By 1999, this species had become the dominant lady beetle in orchards in Southern Ontario. In the United States this species is a very aggressive feeder and appears to be displacing some of the native species in Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and other areas. This species of lady beetle has been found in many crops where food sources such as aphids and scales exist including grain crops, soybeans, conifers, ornamentals and fruit crops. 3. How can I identify them? Like most lady beetles, this insect is about 6 to 10 mm (approximately 1/3 of an inch) long, oval in shape and domed or convex in appearance. The name reflects its many different colours and forms. Body colour can vary dramatically from yellows to reds. Some may have many spots, or few spots or even none. The closest thing to an identifying feature is located on the thorax. There appears to be on many a black "M" inscribed just above the wing covers (elytra) where the wide range of colours and spotting appears. See the list of web locations and publications listed at the end for photographs and additional identification of H. axyridis and other species. 4. Why were there so many of them in 2001 Lady beetles are excellent predators and are considered part of a group known as beneficial insects. These predators feed upon such harmful pests such as aphids, scale insects, mealybugs, mites and even eggs of moths. H. axyridis is a voracious feeder with adults capable of eating 90 to 270 aphids per day and each larva eating 600 to 1200 aphids during its development. Large explosive populations of the beetles can often be attributed to massive abundance of prey (aphids, scales etc) and lack of competition and natural enemies. In 2000, the central regions of the United States had reports of massive outbreaks of Soybean aphid. Similar outbreaks of this aphid were reported across Ontario in the spring through summer of 2001. The hot dry spring of 2001 in Ontario was ideal for early soybean development and provided a great food source for the aphids. There is suggestion that the lady beetle population followed this vast food source and multiplied dramatically. This lady beetle feeds on pest species that can attack many crops - orchards, ornamentals, grain crops, and natural ecosystems such as forested areas. 5. How long does it live? To understand how the population escalates, you must understand the life cycle. It is believed that nonmated females may form the bulk of the overwintering population in hibernation. Mating takes place just before dispersal, as the adults emerge from hibernation structures in the spring, The lady beetle life cycle is complete - eggs to larvae to pupa to adult. In laboratory conditions at 25 C, this cycle can take from 14 to 20 days. In the outdoors, with variable temperatures (cool wet springs) this can take up to 36 days or more. In normal spring patterns, egg hatch can occur in 3 to 5 days, larval feeding 12 to 14 days and the pupal stage about 5 to 6 days. Once the adults emerge they can remain active from 1 to 3 years depending on site and other variables. Hagley (1999) has reported females capable of laying 600 to 800 eggs. This combined with a life cycle of approximately 1 month, which allows for 5 to 6 generations per year can lead to a very rapid population explosion if the food source is not limiting. 6. Why were there so many around my house etc in the fall? Lady beetles have shown a tendency to aggregate or form large groupings. Many of the different species enter a diapause or hibernation mode to survive the winter. In autumn as temperatures begin to fall and daylength shortens, the beetles begin to seek out locations for survival. Literature reports in native environments, these hibernation sites would be cracks and crevices of rock outcroppings with some incidences of being found in huts. Mannix (2001) reports that typical fall behaviour has the beetles moving enmass to tall light covered buildings. In 2001 in Ontario this appeared to be predominantly on the south and west exposures of light colored buildings (homes, barns, sheds, etc). A favoured location for hibernation has been eaves and attics of homes and buildings. Other locations includes door frames, window sills, beneath siding, shingles and wall openings From this landing point they moved internally into dark areas, periodically become active as temperatures warmed to non-seasonal levels. As with many insects, their activity is temperature driven with warmer temperatures encouraging movement. Combine this with their small size and capacity to move through small openings and conditions are ideal for the insects to start wandering about inside buildings and dwellings as spring returns. Since they appear to be attracted to light, it can be noted that they would move to windows and light fixtures if they inadvertently emerge indoors rather than outside. Additional research is ongoing to explain why when a single beetle lands, many others soon follow. There is reason to believe that this species aggregates at certain locations based on visual cues, chemical cues (pheromones) or a combination of the two 7. Does it harm plants or structures? This a nuisance pest for buildings but it does not cause any structural damage. They do not eat carpet or clothes; they do not bore holes in wood or walls, they do not eat human food and do not transmit disease. While in hibernation, they do not feed at all - surviving on stored fat reserves in their bodies. They are predatory insects and do not feed on plants other than to acquire some moisture and pollen for basic nourishment in the absence of prey depending on the species. The beetles do have a defensive action when threatened or disturbed. They produce a response, which is known as " reflex bleeding". This is a yellow orange body fluid (their blood), which has a foul odour and can stain cloth items and porous surfaces. 8. Can it harm people? Recently there have been published reports (Yarborough et al. 1999) of dermal allergies by very few people from contact. This appears to sensitivity to the fluid secretions by the beetle that cause contact dermatitis and a stinging sensation. Lady beetles do not sting but some have commented on "nibbling, nip or bite" actions on humans. Others have reported of inhalant responses and some increase in asthma like symptoms for sensitive people. 9. What was it doing in Ontario? In 2001 there were extremely high populations of soybean aphids on soybeans throughout Ontario. Harmonia axyridis was an opportunistic predator that followed the path of this massive food source. High aphid populations supported the large increase in beetle numbers. Followed normal ecological principles, when the food source (soybean aphids) declined and fall temperature cues for the beetle took over, it dispersed over huge areas within southern Ontario and neighboring US locales seeking winter refuge. Why Niagara? Many homeowners throughout Ontario reported this as being a nuisance pest in September and October (as did vineyard managers and tender fruit growers and others). The beetles were observed at different times and on different fruit crops depending on location in 2001. If the suspicion of chemical cues is correct, there may be some volatiles from grape as they ripen and possibly the presence of other insects in the vineyard that are attractive to the beetles and resulted in their aggregation. Preliminary work in The United States has revealed very low-level response to some materials but the over riding factor in beetle aggregation is visual. Speculation exists that the beetles may have been moving to already damaged fruit (grapes and peaches) that are leaking fluid or have leaked juice for a small source of sugar prior to final hibernation. A combination of visual cues of the arboreal escarpment, presence of sugar source and possibly some volatiles released as the fruit rots or matures may have contributed to the beetle presence. The production of grapes at locations that remain warmer late into the fall along with nearby natural hibernation sites may also have supported the late season occurrence in Niagara. 10. Will it be a problem in 2002? This is the big question being posed without a definitive answer. High populations for predatory insects rely on high populations of prey species for them to feed upon. The high aphid populations of 2000 and 2001 are not expected to reoccur in 2002 since there was such high predation in both seasons, especially late 2001. So it follows that if the food source declines, then the numbers of lady beetles surviving should decline dramatically. We will still see high numbers of beetles early as they emerge from the winter hibernation but unless we have a high food source for them early, many of these adults are expected to die. Also, commercial crop control of aphids on cereal grains and soybeans will also limit sources of food for the lady beetles. Experience has shown that any newly introduced insect be it pest or beneficial, often increases in the first few years after introduction then settles. This is due to the expansion of natural pests (parasites, predators) to the new species and sustainable level develops. 11. Can I spray for this insect? There are no registered pesticides in Canada for use against this specific insect. Any application of a material in or on a dwelling building or crop (commercial, backyard, ornamental, etc) would be considered an illegal use. An additional concern is the residues that any pesticide may leave and risk to the homeowner/farmer/business person. For this and other reasons, pesticide use for control is neither recommended nor available. The bigger question appears to be should I spray for control of the beetle? This insect is considered a beneficial insect and is responsible for significant control of harmful insects such as aphids and scale insects. Aphid control in Niagara is very timely as there is concern over the spread of some viral diseases in peaches by aphids and any extra natural controls are helpful. Controlling the food source (aphids) for the beetle is a more logical approach than treating for this beneficial predator. The Internet has various suggestions for attempting to attract and capture the beetles ranging from vacuums to the use of scent repellents. These are suggested for structural use and not for agricultural actions due to potential for crop contaminations with unwanted aromas and flavours (the deterrents noted are camphor and menthol). Dr. Aldrich of the USDA in Maryland (Personal Communication) has been looking at this repellency issue for a few years with mixed results for commercial application, but studies continue. Some Sources of Information as of April 2002 - compiled by K. W. Ker Anonymous. IPM of Alaska.Technical Bulletin: Biological Control Series Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis http://ipmofalaska.homestead.com/files/harmonia.html Anonymous. 2000 Harmonia axyridis, multicolor Asian ladybeetle Oregon State Urban Entomology http://www.ent.orst.edu/urban/Harmonia.html Anonymous 2000. The Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle. Information Staff Agricultural Research Service, USDA Beltsville, Maryland October 2000 http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2000/001030.beetlefacts.htm#life Anonymous 2001. Biological Control Cornell University. A guide to natural enemies in North America http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ent/biocontrol/predators/harmonia.html Baniecki, J. F.and M. Essam Dabaan, (March 1999) Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Harmonia axyridis). http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/ipm/insects/ladybeetle.html Bredenkamp, C.2001 The Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Coccinellidae, Coleptera. http://jackson.ces.state.nc.us/newsletters/nursery/ladybug.html Chapin, J.B., and V.A. Brou. 1991. Harmonia axyridis Pallas, the third species of the genus to be found in the United States (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Proc. Entomol. Soc. Wash. 93: 630-635. Coderre, D., E. Lucas, and I. Gagné. 1995. The occurrence of Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Canada. Can. Entomol. 127: 609-611. Colunga-G., M. and S.H. Gage. 1998. Arrival, Establishment, and Habitat Use of the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas)(Coleoptera) in a Michigan landscape. Environmental Entomology 27: 1574-1580. Cranshaw, W.S. 2001. Lady Beetles. Colorado State University. No. 5.594 http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05594.html Douce, G. K. 2001. The (Multicolored) Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) http://www.gaipm.org/factsheets/asianldybttls.cfm Gibb, T.J.2001. E-214 Ornamentals & Turf Asian Lady Beetle http://www.entm.purdue.edu/entomology/ext/targets/e-series/EseriesPDF/e-214.pdf Hagley, E.A.C. 1999. Predatory Insects in Fruit Orchards in Southern Ontario. Publication 208 Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. 32 pp. ISBN 0-778-8483-6. Jones S.C., and J. Boggs. Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle HSE-1030-01Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet. http://ohioline.osu.edu/hse-fact/1030.html Knodel, Janet J., and Hoebeke, E. Richard (1996) IPM Fact Sheet 101.00, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University Mahr, S. 1998. University of Wisconsin - Madison http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/mbcn/kyf210.html Mannix, L. 2001. Harmonia axyridis, a new biological control…or new insect pest? Colorado State University. http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Entomology/courses/en507/papers_2001/mannix.htm Marshall, S. 2001 Coccinellidae - The Lady Beetles http://www.uoguelph.ca/~samarsha/lady-beetles.htm Nalepa, C.A., K.A. Kidd, and D.I. Hopkins. 2000. The Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): Orientation to Aggregation Sites. J. Entomol. Sci. 35: 150-157 Nalepa, C.A., K.A. Kidd, and K.R. Ahlstrom. 1996. Biology of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in Winter Aggregations. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 89(5): 681-685 Oi, F.M. and W. Foshee. (April 1998). The multicolored Asian lady beetle. IPM Alabama. http://www.aces.edu/department/ipm/ladybugs.htm Potter, Michael F., Ric Bessin, and Lee Townsend. 1998. Asian Lady Beetle Infestation of Structures. http://www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/entfacts/trees/ef416.htm Powell, P.K. Asian Lady Beetles http://www.wvu.edu/~exten/infores/pubs/pest/hpm9005.pdf Riddick, E. W., J. R. Aldrich, A. DeMilo and J. Davis. 2000. Potential for modifying the behavior of the multicolored Asian lady beetle with plant-derived natural products. Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am. 93: 1314-1321. Suomi, Daniel A. ( slightly revised 1/02 by Dave Pehling). Lady Bugs. http://gardening.wsu.edu/library/inse001/inse001.htm Waldvogel, M. G., S. B. Bambara, J. R. Baker (emeritus) & D. B. Orr. 2001 Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle Inside Houses. Ornamental and Turf Insect Note 107 (ENT/ort-107). North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. North Carolina State University. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Other/goodpest/note107.html#OTHERtarget Yarbrough, J.A., J. L. Armstrong, M. Z. Blumberg, A. E. Phillips, E McGahee, W.K. Dolen. 1999 Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis caused by Harmonia axyridis (Asian lady beetle, Japanese lady beetle or lady bug). J Allergy Clin Immunol 104: 704-705   This page is: http://www.brocku.ca/ccovi/index.html Last updated:June 14, 2002 Brock University © 2001Disclaimer