Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis

This Asian species is now so abundant that it is hard to believe that it didn't turn up in the UK until 2004. Once here it spread like wildfire and quickly became one of our commonest species of ladybird.

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bittering (Norfolk, UK), 10th August 2013

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 8th April 2019

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 30th August 2018

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 31st August 2024

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis larva, St Mary's churchyard, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 4th July 2022

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 11th August 2024

2x Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 19th August 2018

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 22nd August 2019

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, County School Station, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 4th August 2021

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, St Mary's churchyard, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 16th October 2021

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 29th July 2018

3x Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis larvae and pupa, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 20th June 2020

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 3rd September 2022

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Blickling (Norfolk, UK), 20th August 2011

I put this down as Harlequin larva at the time but looking at it again when writing this page up I questioned whether or not that was correct. It lacks the orange dorsal spines of final instar Harlequin and superficially resembles the larva of Cream-streaked Ladybird. However I don't think it's quite right for that either, and I'm pretty sure it isn't final instar. From what I can gather, mid-instar Harlequin larvae do lack the orange dorsal spines so unless someone tells me otherwise I'm leaving it in as Harlequin. It was found indoors which makes it pretty unlikely to be Cream-streaked, a species that I haven't seen at home at all.

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis larva, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 6th July 2024

I started attempting to identify ladybirds long before I began to tackle most beetle families and as I was reviewing my photos for this website I was half expecting to find a few misidentified examples. I've been pleasantly surprised to have hardly found any, however for some peculiar reason I had this one labelled as Cream-streaked Ladybird. Fortunately I hadn't recorded it as such, just mislabelled the photos.

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 17th September 2015

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 8th January 2015

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 5th September 2020

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 14th August 2020

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 2nd August 2022

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th July 2018

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 2nd August 2008

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 29th August 2008

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 30th July 2014

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 15th April 2020

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham railway (Norfolk, UK), 27th October 2003

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Flitcham (Norfolk, UK), 27th February 2008

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, near Longham (Norfolk, UK), 28th May 2016

Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis adult and larva, Ling Plantation, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 4th June 2022

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 12th August 2024

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 2nd August 2017

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 20th July 2018

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 11th September 2023

Harlequins often hibernate in my kitchen - the gap between the vent above the window and the ceiling is just right for them.

Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd October 2024

Sometimes when it's a bit warmer they shuffle around a bit. This is the same group as in the second photo above.

Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 31st October 2024

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis larva, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 24th September 2021

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bittering (Norfolk, UK), 7th August 2017

Harlequins are among our largest ladybirds - here is one next to a smaller species, the 2-spot Ladybird Adalia bipunctata.

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 9th January 2022

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, St Mary's churchyard, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th May 2021

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, St Mary's churchyard, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 9th June 2021

2x Harlequin Ladybirds Harmonia axyridis, St Mary's churchyard, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 1st November 2021

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Hockwold (Norfolk, UK), 25th July 2019

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 26th July 2016

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 27th August 2016

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 28th January 2016

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 28th May 2017

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 29th August 2014

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Stiffkey (Norfolk, UK), 1st October 2013

This is my earliest-dated photo though I don't recall if it was the first I saw. It was only two years after they were first found in the UK but I think they must have already been well established in Norfolk as I don't remember being very surprised or excited by my first.

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 10th October 2006

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 16th October 2014

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 8th September 2009

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 11th November 2007

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Bawdeswell (Norfolk, UK), 16th September 2012

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham (Norfolk, UK), 22nd August 2015

I think this one is teneral and although I couldn't get close enough to have a good look at it, I suspect the thing behind it may be its discarded pupal case.

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, Wendling Beck Environment Project (Norfolk, UK), 9th January 2022

Harlequin Ladybird Harmonia axyridis, North Elmham Cathedral Meadows (Norfolk, UK), 25th April 2020