Natural Enemies of Ladybird Beetles

Predators and parasitoids of the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, in its native range and invaded areas

“…For many species, including H. axyridis, aposematic colouration and intense smell of pyrazines provide additional protection from predation (Daloze et al 1995;Pasteels 2007;Ceryngier et al 2012;Pettersson 2012). Nevertheless, some animals can eat ladybirds, and these are usually generalist predators.…”

“…Extraguild predation on Coccinellidae has been studied relatively often in birds (Ceryngier et al 2012). However, bird predation specifically on H. axyridis has been rarely reported.…”

Hesperomyces virescens (Fungi, Ascomycota, Laboulbeniales) attacking Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in its native range

“…It has only been reported upon H. axyridis in the USA, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and the UK; a detailed summary with all recordings of H. virescens on H. axyridis so far is given in Table 1. In H. axyridis's native range, more specifically in Japan, H. virescens is reported parasitizing Coccinula crotchi (Lewis 1879) and C. sinensis (Weise 1889) [32]. …”

Stethorus pusillus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) as a host of the ectoparasitic fungus Hesperomyces coccinelloides (Ascomycota: Laboulbeniales: Laboulbeniaceae) in Poland

“…Nevertheless, one may surmise that with more than one fifth of the ladybird specimens carrying the parasites, the association of H. coccinelloides with S. pusillus is not rare in the area investigated. Most records of H. coccinelloides come from tropical or subtropical localities (CERYNGIER et al 2012 …”

“…There are far fewer records of H. coccinelloides. Its host range is probably restricted to minute species of Scymninae, and its geographical distribution includes North, Central and South America (USA, Panama, Ecuador, Brazil), the Caribbean (Grenada, Jamaica), the Philippines and Borneo, and Europe (Spain, Belgium) (CERYNGIER et al 2012).…”