The important thing to remember is that it is a pest only if it reaches pest proportions. Despite the media worries and tabloid tattle, most people will hardly be aware that harlequins have arrived; they will be subsumed into just another part of the local ecology. If, however, they really are becoming a nuisance, then do something about them: discourage them, move them, kill them. But please accept that there is no such thing as a 'bad' (or 'good') insect, just some that come into conflict with humans. Conflict is a natural part of the world, and they are just obeying their evolutionary and genetic programming.
I have been innundated with these pests in a south facing study near Horsham in West Sussex. I tried all sorts of things including keeping them in a silver screw topped jar and they live forever!! I have counted significantly more than the 30 that I spilt when I tried to catch another two. They have twice invaded my house. They were around last May and have been back since Christmas, Not even an anti- bacterial spray affects them.
kill as many as you can. i first noticed them arriving about three years ago. now they crawl all over the house are a nightmare to contain. even worse, i have not seen a native ladybird since they arrived. bloody foreigners lol
i have been told a harlequin has a W on the head but how do you tell the differance between a harlequin and a british lady bird ??? A 100% identification please dont want to kill any british ladybird who likes my central heating
I can't make up my mind, I really do not like to kill any insect especially not a ladybird. Am I correct in assuming that they eat the same pesky affids as our native ladybirds do ?? I think I shall wait and see how they spread around this year before coming to any decision, to kill or not to kill. I still feel not to kill !!!
I hadn't realised that the invasion that hit my house last autumn had caused such worry. We must have had hundreds of them wintering in our house, mostly in the seal of my daughters bedroom window. What a load of balony re problems with them we had nothing but hours of fun. If nothing else it has just heightened her increasing interest in wildlife, anything that keeps her way from the tv and outside learning about what is about her is welcome by me.
On Monday of this week 05/07/10, that our runner bean plants seem to be covered in ladybird pupa. I didn't know which type of ladybird it was until I noticed 2 dead harlequin ladybirds. Should I kill all the pupa? There seems to be no end of eggs on the plants, so if I have to kill them what pesticide should I use so as not to harm the runner bean plants?
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I think I shall wait and see how they spread around this year before coming to any decision, to kill or not to kill.
I still feel not to kill !!!
http://www.koleopterologie.de/gallery/fhl07c/anatis-ocellata-foto-wmueller.jpg
It is a pine tree specialist, eating pine aphids.
Why kill them? If there are aphids enough for a harlequin colony on your beans, why not just let the ladybirds eat them?