City life key to harlequin ladybug invasion in the UK
Monday, October 13, 2014 - 12:00
in Biology & Nature
The harlequin ladybird (ladybug), an invasive alien species first recorded in the UK in 2004, has a preference for urban areas and sunnier habitats. By establishing rapidly in cities and urban areas, and overwintering inside buildings, the harlequin has outcompeted native ladybird species which have suffered from the combined negative impacts of habitat deterioration and competition from the invasive alien.