Bug Identifier
Asian Lady Beetle (immaculate/spotless form)
Community identification

Asian Lady Beetle (immaculate/spotless form)

Harmonia axyridis

Order & Family
Order: Coleoptera; Family: Coccinellidae
Size
5 - 8 mm in length
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Found in agricultural fields, gardens, and woodlands; commonly migrates to buildings and houses in the autumn for overwintering.

Diet & Feeding

Primarily carnivorous, feeding on aphids, scale insects, and other soft-bodied agricultural pests. They may eat fruit late in the season.

Behavior Patterns

Highly variable in color and spotting. They are known for 'overwintering' in large aggregations inside structures. They undergo complete metamorphosis: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits the ecosystem and farmers by controlling pest populations like aphids. Risks include being a nuisance pest indoors, producing a foul-smelling yellow defensive chemical (reflex bleeding) that can stain surfaces, and occasionally biting humans which may cause minor allergic reactions.