Harmonia axyridis (Harlequin ladybird): an invasive species which continues to spread within Europe
As already reported in EPPO RS 2005/092, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is an invasive species originating from Asia which is currently spreading in Europe, as well as in the Americas. The insect has also been reported from South Africa and Egypt (established near Cairo). H. axyridis has originally been released as an efficient biological control agent to limit aphid populations. However, some of these introduced populations have escaped control and are now seriously affecting the abundance of native ladybird species which are beneficial insects (e.g. Adalia bipunctata, Coccinella septempunctata). This insect can be a nuisance for humans, as it tends to aggregate in houses in autumn searching for overwintering sites. Finally, H. axyridis can also feed on fruits (e.g. grapes, pears, raspberries) at the end of the growing season, yield is not significantly affected but fruit quality can be reduced. Recent studies carried out in Switzerland, have shown that the presence of H. axyridis contaminating grapes at harvest has a negative impact on wine quality (Linder et al., 2009), confirming similar observations which had already been made in the USA.
Situation in Europe
A special issue of BioControl entitled ‘From biological control to invasion: the ladybird Harmonia axyridis as a model species’ (Roy ; Wajnberg (eds), 2008) provides useful information on its current geographical distribution, invasion history, prediction for further spread, impacts and possible control measures. A paper from Brown et al. (2008) summarizes the invasion history of H. axyridis in Europe (see Table below). H. axyridis was sold by various biological control companies from 1995 in France, Belgium and the Netherlands, and was also intentionally released in at least 9 other countries. It has spread very rapidly, particularly since 2002, and is now regarded as established in at least 13 European countries.
- Invasion history in Europe (table adapted from Brown et al., 2008).
|
Country
|
First record in the wild
|
Deliberately introduced (earliest year of introduction)
|
Evidence of establishment
|
Comments
|
|
Ukraine
|
Unknown
|
Yes (1964)
|
Unknown
|
-
|
|
Belarus
|
Unknown
|
Yes (1968)
|
Unknown
|
-
|
|
Portugal
|
-
|
Yes (1984)
|
No
|
Released in 1984/1985 in Algarve and Azores, but no evidence of establishment
|
|
France
|
1991
|
Yes (1982)
|
Yes
|
Widespread in Northern France
|
|
Greece
|
1998
|
Yes (1994)
|
Limited
|
Massive releases were made but only small numbers of overwintering adults could be found in Attica in spring 1998 and 1999
|
|
Germany
|
1999
|
Yes (1997)
|
Yes
|
Widespread in the Western part
|
|
Belgium
|
2001
|
Yes (1997)
|
Yes
|
Widespread
|
|
Netherlands
|
2002
|
Yes (1996)
|
Yes
|
Widespread
|
|
Spain (mainland and Islas Canarias)
|
2003
|
Yes (1996)
|
Yes
|
Few specimens found in 2006 in Pais Vasco probably originating from France or imported goods entering the nearby Bilbao airport
|
|
Switzerland
|
2004
|
Yes (1996)
|
Yes
|
Widespread in North-Western Switzerland
|
|
Luxemburg
|
2004
|
No
|
Yes
|
Widespread
|
|
United Kingdom
|
2004 in England 2006 in Wales
|
No
|
Yes
|
Widespread in England and Wales
|
|
Jersey
|
2004
|
No
|
Yes
|
Established
|
|
Italy
|
2006
|
Yes (1990s)
|
Yes
|
Probably established in North-Eastern Italy
|
|
Czech Republic
|
2006
|
Yes (2003)
|
Yes
|
Flightless strain released in hop gardens but did not establish, current populations probably spread from Germany
|
|
Austria
|
2006
|
No
|
Yes
|
Established in the West, Centre and South of Austria
|
|
Denmark
|
2006
|
No
|
Yes
|
Established in the South near Germany
|
|
Norway
|
2006
|
No
|
No
|
Recorded on imported plants in Oslo in 2006 but probably not established
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
2007
|
No
|
Yes
|
Widespread
|
|
Sweden
|
2007
|
No
|
No
|
Recorded in Malmö in April 2007 in a house but probably not established
|
- Additional records
Since the paper from Brown et al. (2008) was published the presence of H. axyridis has been reported from the following countries:
- Poland: H. axyridis was reported for the first time in 2007 in two localities (Przewozny et al., 2007).
- Serbia: it was reported for the first time in 2008 in Vorovo on the territory of the National Park Fruska Gora, province of Vojvodina (Thalji and Stojanovic, 2008).
- Hungary: in February 2008, an adult male of H. axyridis was found near Budapest (in the city of Szigetszentmiklós). It was overwintering together with other ladybirds (Adalia bipunctata) under the loose bark of a declining poplar tree. Because H. axyridis has never been released for biological control in Hungary, it is assumed that it spread naturally from nearby infested areas, such as the Eastern part of Austria (Merkl, 2008). After this initial record, H. axyridis rapidly spread across Hungary where it is reported from most regions (Markó and Pozgzai, 2009).
- Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine: specimens of H. axyridis were collected in spring and summer 2009 from these countries (Markó and Pozgzai, 2009).
Situation in the Americas
In North America, intentional releases began as early as 1916 in California (US) and intensified in the USA and Canada during the 1970s and 1980s. Established populations were first detected in Louisiana in 1988, and H. axyridis rapidly spread to most US states (with the exception of Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming). In Canada, H. axyridis occurs in the southern part of all provinces (with the exception of Saskatchewan, and in Alberta it has been detected but is not considered as established). In Mexico, it has been found in several cities in the states of Mexico, Coahuila, Jalisco, Morelos, and Puebla.
In South America, H. axyridis has a restricted distribution. It has been reported in Brazil (city of Curitiba, Paraná) and in Argentina (Buenos Aires), but it is considered that it has the potential to spread to more countries on this continent (Koch et al., 2006).
Sources
Brown PMJ, Adriaens T, Bathon H, Cuppen J, Goldarazena, Hägg T, Kenis M, Klausnitzer BEM, Kovář I, Loomans AJM, Majerus MEN, Nedved O, Pedersen J, Rabitsch W, Roy HE, Ternois V, Zakharov IA, Roy DB (2008) Harmonia axyridis in Europe: spread and distribution of a non-native coccinellid. BioControl 53(1), 5-21.
Koch RL, Venette RC, Hutchison WD (2006) Invasions by Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the Western Hemisphere: implications for South America. Neotropical Entomology 35(4), 421-434.
Linder C, Lorenzini F, Kehrli P (2009) La coccinelle asiatique donne-t-elle un faux goût au Chasselas et au Pinot noir;? Revue suisse de Viticulture, Arboriculture, Horticulture 41(1), 61-62.
Markó V, Pozsgai G (2009) [Spread of harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Hungary, and the first records from Romania and Ukraine. Növényvédelem 45(9), 481-490 (in Hungarian).
Merkl O (2008) [First record of the harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis Pallas) in Hungary (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)]. Növényvédelem 44(5), 239-242 (in Hungarian).
Przewozny M, Barozek T, Bunalski M (2007) Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) new species of ladybird beetle for Polish fauna. Polskie Pismo Entomologiczne 76(3), 177-182 (abst.).
Thalji R, Stojanovic D (2008) First sighting of the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Serbia. Biljni Lekar 36(6), 389-393 (abst.).