Harlequin Ladybird

The Harlequin Ladybird looks very different from one to another. Some are red or orange with black spots, while others are black with red spots. Most have between zero and twenty-one spots, but some have none at all. One way to recognise them is by the white area behind their head, which usually has a black pattern shaped like the letter M or a broken line. Adult Harlequin Ladybirds are 5 to 8 millimetres long, making them some of the biggest ladybirds found in Britain. This species comes from Asia. It was brought to Europe and first appeared in Britain in 2004. Since then, it has spread quickly across the country. Today, the Harlequin Ladybird is common all over England, Wales, and southern Scotland. It lives in gardens, parks, woods, and farmland. The Harlequin Ladybird likes places where there are lots of aphids to eat. It often spends the winter inside buildings, sometimes gathering in large groups. Because it has spread so well, there are worries that it might harm native ladybird species.