Seven-spot ladybird

This little huddle of native 7-spot ladybirds on the Science Site, still hibernating amongst a cluster of wild cherry flower buds that were just beginning to loosen their bud scales in today's sunshine, make a useful comparison with the superficially similar alien harlequin ladybird, which arrived in Durham last year and which you can find out more about here. The red and black-spotted form of the harlequin has more spots, a more domed body and is noticeably larger.... and we'd like to hear from anyone who thinks they've found one.  

Maybugs

About once every three or four years students living in college are sometimes alarmed by these large beetles that fly in through open windows on late spring evenings in Easter term. They're maybugs, also known as cockchafers, and their grubs feed on the roots of grasses in lawns, taking three or four years to reach maturity, so batches of eggs all tend to reach adulthood at the same time. Maybugs fly with their hard wing covers outstretched and their beating wings make a loud buzz as they clatter around rooms, where they're attracted to lights at dusk. The adults feed on flowers and can be notoriously destructive in orchards in Europe. You can find out more about this large beetle and find photos of its subterranean larva here.

Harlequin Ladybird

Harlequin ladybirds Harmonia axyridis were first found in Durham in November 2009, feeding on ivy flowers near the entrance to Durham University Botanic Garden. On that occasion they were just nibbling harmlessly at the nectar on the surface of an ivy flower, but this is a carnivorous species that has been introduced into Britain and is spreading rapidly. It eats the eggs of many of our native insect species, including other ladybirds, moths and butterflies and could have a significant impact on native insect species biodiversity in Britain. The wing case colour patterns on the harlequin ladybird are astonishingly varied - the example above is the multi-spotted orange morph of the species. A national survey plotting the spread of this invasive species is currently underway and you can confirm identifications and record sightings on-line or by mobile phone by visiting http://www.harlequin-survey.org/default.htm#

Most of the specimens found so far in Durham have been of the red-spotted black form, shown above. The larval stages are larger than other ladybird larvae and have spines on their back. When they are ready to pupate they attach themslves to a leaf by their tail, as the example below has done.

If you spot harlequin ladybirds, which are noticeably larger than most of our native species and have a more rounded outline, Dr. Phil Gates in the School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences p.j.gates@durham.ac.uk would like to hear from you.........