Asian Lady Beetle (or Harlequin Ladybird)

Found in gardens, orchards, and agricultural fields; frequently invades homes and buildings during autumn to overwinter.

Primarily predatory, feeding on aphids, scale insects, and other soft-bodied agricultural pests.

Notable for their high variability in color and spots. They exhibit 'reflex bleeding' (releasing a foul-smelling yellow fluid from leg joints) when threatened and aggregate in large numbers on sun-facing walls in late fall.

Benefits: Highly effective biological control for plant pests. Risks: Can be a domestic nuisance, may cause allergic reactions or 'bites' in humans, and can stain surfaces with their defensive secretions.