Alien!!!

Another of our ladybirds for you all today, the much despised Harlequin ladybird Harmonia axyridis.
Harlequin ladybirds arrived in the Britain in the summer of 1988, and has been spreading rapidly ever since! In Sussex where I live it is really common and I think I see more of these a year than all of our native ladybirds put together.
They are large in size at 5.5 - 8.5mm and as such are larger than most British species, and exist in 3 main colour forms
Red or orange with black spots (like this one ) form succinea; black with 4 red spots- form spectablis and black with 2 red spots - form conspicua, although there are numerous other forms. The pronotum The piece in front of the elytra or wing cases) has a M or W shaped black area on it which is probably the most reliable method of identification.
Sadly they are taking over our smaller more specific native species, and carry a disease (from which they are immune) fatal to our natives.
Many people kill them, to try to halt the take over, but I seriously doubt the few killed by us would make a huge amount of difference!!
I will try to find the other colour forms for you as summer progresses - which shouldn't be too difficult!
oh, and one final fact, they are prone to biting if you try messing with them!