Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods) ➔ Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods) ➔ Class Insecta (Insects) ➔ Order Coleoptera (Beetles) ➔ Family Coccinellidae (Ladybirds)
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771)
Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Synonyms and other combinations:
Coccinella axyridis Pallas, 1773 | Coccinella russica Herbst, 1783 | Coccinella bissexpustulata Herbst, 1793 | Coccinella aulica Faldermann, 1835 | Coccinella besseri Faldermann, 1835 | Coccinella conspicua Faldermann, 1835 | Coccinella novemdecimsignata Faldermann, 1835 | Coccinella spectabilis Faldermann, 1835 | Coccinella octodecimspilota Hope, 1843 | Coccinella succinea Hope, 1843 | Daulis henoni Mulsant, 1850 | Leis frigida Mulsant, 1853 | Anatis circe Mulsant, 1856 | Coccinella multiplicata Mulsant, 1866 | Lemnia henricae Mulsant, 1866 | Lemnia insidiosa Mulsant, 1866 | Leis duodecimsignata Frivaldszky, 1892 |
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2007-10-13 09:54:16
Image number: 2752
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2007-10-13 09:54:16
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2008-07-12 12:56:56
Image number: 2718
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2008-07-12 12:56:56
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-15 15:25:29
Image number: 8456
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2018-08-15 15:25:29
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-15 15:36:41
Image number: 8457
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2018-08-15 15:36:41
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-16 10:33:33
Image number: 8454
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2018-08-16 10:33:33
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2008-07-06 07:48:18
Image number: 2717
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2008-07-06 07:48:18
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2008-07-06 11:11:54
Image number: 2715
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2008-07-06 11:11:54
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2008-07-06 11:12:01
Image number: 2716
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2008-07-06 11:12:01
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-08 09:53:08
Image number: 5553
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-08 09:53:08
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-08 09:52:40
Image number: 5554
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-08 09:52:40
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-05-31 09:58:46
Image number: 2703
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2009-05-31 09:58:46
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-05-31 09:58:25
Image number: 2704
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2009-05-31 09:58:25
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2017-05-06 16:39:38
Image number: 7664
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2017-05-06 16:39:38
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2008-06-07 16:08:15
Image number: 2714
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2008-06-07 16:08:15
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, det. Christoph Benisch
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2008-06-07 14:13:08
Image number: 2713
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2008-06-07 14:13:08
det. Christoph Benisch
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-11 08:48:33
Image number: 4645
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-11 08:48:33
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-07-21 14:02:46
Image number: 2705
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2009-07-21 14:02:46
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-05-01 14:16:51
Image number: 2707
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2009-05-01 14:16:51
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2008-07-12 12:00:12
Image number: 2723
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2008-07-12 12:00:12
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-04-19 13:10:22
Image number: 2706
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2009-04-19 13:10:22
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2009-06-28 09:47:45
Image number: 2708
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2009-06-28 09:47:45
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2012-05-05 10:16:56
Image number: 5319
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2012-05-05 10:16:56
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, mating
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2012-05-05 10:17:18
Image number: 5320
mating
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2012-05-05 10:17:18
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, eggs
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-05-28 15:31:46
Image number: 7742
eggs
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-05-28 15:31:46
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, eggs
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-05-28 15:29:12
Image number: 7743
eggs
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-05-28 15:29:12
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, hatching larvae
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-05-29 08:35:16
Image number: 7744
hatching larvae
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-05-29 08:35:16
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, hatching larvae
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-05-29 08:41:41
Image number: 7745
hatching larvae
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-05-29 08:41:41
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larvae (L1)
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-05-29 10:42:14
Image number: 7746
larvae (L1)
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-05-29 10:42:14
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larvae (L1)
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-05-29 17:09:04
Image number: 7747
larvae (L1)
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-05-29 17:09:04
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald; 2017-06-06 12:12:14
Image number: 7748
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Harthwald
2017-06-06 12:12:14
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larva (L3), det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-06-09 13:42:41
Image number: 5383
larva (L3)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-06-09 13:42:41
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2007-10-07 11:57:39
Image number: 2746
larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2007-10-07 11:57:39
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2007-10-07 11:56:48
Image number: 2745
larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2007-10-07 11:56:48
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2007-10-03 14:51:43
Image number: 2744
larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2007-10-03 14:51:43
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2007-10-07 15:34:36
Image number: 2743
larva (L4)
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2007-10-07 15:34:36
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, cannibalism
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-08 10:37:22
Image number: 5472
cannibalism
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-08 10:37:22
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2007-10-03 14:45:50
Image number: 2747
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2007-10-03 14:45:50
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2007-10-03 14:46:01
Image number: 2748
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2007-10-03 14:46:01
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2007-10-03 14:46:44
Image number: 2749
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2007-10-03 14:46:44
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2007-10-06 09:43:36
Image number: 2750
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2007-10-06 09:43:36
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2007-10-06 16:55:06
Image number: 2751
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2007-10-06 16:55:06
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-04 14:22:50
Image number: 5453
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-04 14:22:50
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-04 14:24:07
Image number: 5454
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-04 14:24:07
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2012-07-04 14:24:43
Image number: 5455
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2012-07-04 14:24:43
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2010-07-25 09:48:56
Image number: 3826
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2010-07-25 09:48:56
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-16 17:27:27
Image number: 4657
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-16 17:27:27
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-16 17:29:03
Image number: 4656
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-16 17:29:03
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, freshly hatched, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2010-07-31 07:46:08
Image number: 3837
freshly hatched
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2010-07-31 07:46:08
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2010-07-29 17:34:27
Image number: 3838
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2010-07-29 17:34:27
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf; 2010-07-29 17:39:25
Image number: 3839
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Markersdorf
2010-07-29 17:39:25
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, pupa, det. Arp Kruithof
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2011-06-11 11:19:28
Image number: 4655
pupa
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2011-06-11 11:19:28
det. Arp Kruithof
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2020-06-30 09:46:28
Image number: 9471
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2020-06-30 09:46:28
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2020-06-30 17:34:02
Image number: 9472
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2020-06-30 17:34:02
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz; 2020-07-01 14:30:04
Image number: 9473
DE, Chemnitz, Hutholz
2020-07-01 14:30:04
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, with fungal infection
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald; 2019-06-09 14:35:01
Image number: 8764
with fungal infection
DE, Chemnitz, Zeisigwald
2019-06-09 14:35:01
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, with Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2015-07-19 15:54:45
Image number: 7099
with Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2015-07-19 15:54:45
Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1771) Asiatischer Marienkäfer Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis, with Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark; 2018-08-15 15:33:55
Image number: 8455
with Dinocampus coccinellae cocoon
DE, Chemnitz, Stadtpark
2018-08-15 15:33:55
Further vernacular names:
Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle
Classification:
Harmonia axyridis belongs to the subfamily Coccinellinae, tribe Coccinellini.
Origin and distribution:
Originally native to Asia, the beetle was introduced to the USA and Europe for biological pest control. It has spread in a very short time and is now widespread in Germany.
Habitat:
The beetle colonizes different biotopes and can be found everywhere there are aphids.
Description:
The Harlequin Ladybird
Harmonia axyridis has a body length between 5.5 and 8 mm. Colouring and pattern of the elytra are extremely variable. The pronotum can be white with 4 black spots, have an M-shaped or a more extensive trapezoidal black marking with a narrow white border.
The larvae can reach a body length of up to 10.7 mm.
Biology:
After mating, the female lays light yellow eggs on plants populated by aphids. After 3 - 5 days the larvae hatch. These pass through 4 larval stages and pupate. After about 2 weeks the beetles hatch. The imagines typically live between 30 and 90 days, but can reach a maximum life span of up to 3 years.
Harmonia axyridis consumes as larva about 90 to 360 aphids in total and as imago about 15 to 65 aphids per day. Eggs and larvae of leaf beetles and weevils as well as caterpillars are also on the menu. Cannibalism on eggs and other larvae seems to play an important role in population dynamics. As can be seen on this page, when there is a lack of food, conspecifics are also eaten.
In autumn the beetles look for sheltered places to hibernate. At suitable places mass accumulations of several 100 specimens can be observed.
Harmonia axyridis forms two generations per year in Europe, but can also produce more generations (4 to 5) per year.
Natural enemies:
Hump-backed flies (Phoridae) of the genus
Phalacrotophora, in the USA and Korea 2 species of tachinid flies, as well as the braconid wasp
Dinocampus coccinellae.
The last two pictures on this page show parasitized beetles with braconid wasp cocoon. The wasp hatched from the cocoon below the beetle with black spots is shown on the species page of
Dinocampus coccinellae.
On the third last picture a beetle infected with a parasitic fungus of the order Laboulbeniales is shown. A common parasite of the Harlequin Ladybird is the fungus
Hesperomyces virescens.
Note:
Here a clutch of eggs of
Harmonia axyridis which were yellow on the finding day is shown. The next morning the eggs had turned grey. The first young larvae hatched. The still pale larvae while hatching had become significantly darker after 2 hours and had reached their final black coloration after 8 - 9 hours. After one week some of the larvae had developed further and showed the characteristic appearance of the larvae of Harmonia axyridis in the 3rd larval stage. Unfortunately there are no pictures of 2nd instar larvae.
The pictures from 2020 show a freshly hatched beetle that could not completely free itself from the pupa shell. The part of the pupa shell that covers the pronotum including the former head shell is still fixed to the pronotum.
References, further reading, links:
- de Jong, Y.S.D.M. (ed.) (2013) Fauna Europaea version 2.6.2 Web Service available online at https://fauna-eu.org/
- Christoph Benisch: Färbungsvariabilität bei den Coccinellidae
- Koch RL.:
The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis: A review of its biology, uses in biological control, and non-target impacts. 16pp. Journal of Insect Science, 3:32, 2003. Available online: insectscience.org/3.32
