> Asian harlequin ladybirds, introduced to Europe and other parts of the globe as an environmentally-friendly means of pest control, are causing their own ecological problems -- they’re wiping out native ladybird species. And one reason for the harlequin’s global dominance could be its use of a biological weapon, according to a report published online today (May 16) in Science. The study reveals that harlequins carry a fungal parasite to which they are immune, but which kills other ladybird species.

> Harlequin ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis) are good eaters, with each beetle consuming roughly 200 aphids per day. It is for this reason, that they were considered a great way to fight aphid infestations on agricultural crops, explained Andreas Vilcinskas, a professor of phytopathology and applied zoology at the Justus-Liebig Universität in Giessen, Germany.

> But since their arrival in Europe 50 or 60 years ago, these pest-controllers have become pests themselves. In the past 2 decades they have become invasive, Vilcinskas said. In the autumn, when the temperature drops below 0 °C, they aggregate near houses, and sometimes you have 10 thousand beetles which aggregate and enter a house. Furthermore, native ladybird species are now almost impossible to find in some areas, he said.

-- Anyone do ladybug removals? How much should I charge  ; )

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