Abstract
Originally distributed in northeast Asia, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is now found throughout much of the temperate zone. In its native area, H. axyridis maintains stable populations in heterogeneous and temporary habitats because of its great ability to find prey and reproduce, coupled with density-dependent and self-regulatory population regulation. A negative correlation of H. axyridis on the biodiversity of the aphidophagous community has been observed in its native range. The decrease in biodiversity may be mainly caused by the wider range of habitats available to H. axyridis than to the coexisting species. From a theoretical perspective, density-dependent regulation of H. axyridis populations, e.g., cannibalism, may be more important in maintaining the H. axyridis-dominated system, probably than is intraguild predation. Habitat heterogeneity may also be important to the coexistence of H. axyridis and other predators in both native and invaded areas.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adriaens T, Branquart E, Maes D (2003) The mutlicoloured Asian ladybird Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), a threat for native aphid predators in Belgium? Berg J Zool 133:207–208
Brakefield PM (1985) Polymorphic Müllerian mimicry and interactions with thermal melanism in ladybirds and a soldier beetle: a hypothesis. Biol J Linn Soc 26:243–267
Brown MW (2003) Intraguild responses of aphid predators on apple to the invasion of an exotic species, Harmonia axyridis. BioControl 48:141–153
Brown PMJ, Adriaens T, Bathon H, Cuppen J, Goldarazena A, 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 53:5–21
Brown PMJ, Frost R, Doberski J, Sparks T, Harrington R, Roy H (2011) Decline in native ladybirds in response to the arrival of Harmonia axyridis: early evidence from England. Ecol Ent 36:231–240
Colunga-Gracia M, Gage SH (1998) Arrival, establishment, and habitat use of the multicolored Asian lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in a Michigan landscape. Environ Entomol 27:1574–1580
Fukunaga Y, Akimoto S (2007) Toxicity of the aphid Aulacorthum magnoliae to the predator Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and genetic variance in the assimilation of the toxic aphids in H. axyridis larvae. Entomol Sci 10:45–53
Hironori Y, Katsuhiro S (1997) Cannibalism and interspecific predation in two predatory ladybirds in relation to prey abundance in the field. Entomophaga 42:153–163
Hodek I, Honek A (1996) Ecology of coccinellidae. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands
Honek A (1985) Habitat preference of aphidophagous coccinellids (Coleoptera). Entomophaga 30:253–264
Kajita Y, Obrycki JJ, Sloggett JJ, Haynes KF (2010) Intraspecific alkaloid variation in ladybird eggs and its effects on con- and hetero-specific intraguild predators. Oecologia 163:313–322
Kawai A (1978) Sibling cannibalism in the first instar larvae of Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinelidae). Kontyû 46:14–19
Kindlmann P, Houdková K (2006) Intraguild predation: fiction or reality? Popul Ecol 48:317–322
Kindlmann P, Olga MCC, Dixon AFG (2011) Ecological effects of invasive species on native communities, with particular emphasis on the interactions between aphids and ladybirds. BioControl. doi:10.1007/s10526-011-9384-4
Koch RL (2003) The multicolored Asian ladybird, Harmonia axyridis: a review of its biology, uses in biological control, and non-target impacts. J Insect Sci 3:32–47
Koch RL, Burkness EC, Wold SJ, Hutchison WD (2004) Phytophagous preferences of the multicolored Asian lady beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) to autumn ripening fruit. J Econ Entmol 97:539–544
Kovach J (2004) Impact of the multicolored Asian lady beetle as a pest of fruit and people. Am Entomol 50:165–167
Maeta Y (1969) Biological studies on the natural enemies of some Coccinellid beetles. I. On Perilitus coccinellae (Schrank). Kontyû 37:147–166 (In Japanese)
Majerus MEN (1994) Ladybirds. Harper Collins Publishers, London, UK
Morisita M (1967) The seasonal variation of butterflies in Kyoto. In: Morisita M, Kita T (eds) Nature-ecological study. Cyuoukoronnsha, Tokyo, pp 95–132 (In Japanese)
Obata S (1986) Determination of hibernation site in the ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae). Kontyû 54:218–223
Okamoto H (1978) Laboratory studies on food ecology of aphidophagous lady beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Mem Fac Agri Kagawa Univ 32:1–94 (In Japanese with English summary)
Osawa N (1989) Sibling and non-sibling cannibalism by larvae of a lady beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) in the field. Res Popul Ecol 31:153–160
Osawa N (1991) Ecological studies on the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas in a natural population. Ph.D. Thesis, Kyoto Univ (In Japanese)
Osawa N (1992a) Effect of pupation site on pupal cannibalism and parasitism of the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Jpn J Entomol 60:131–135
Osawa N (1992b) Sibling cannibalism in the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis: fitness consequences for mother and offspring. Res Popul Ecol 34:45–55
Osawa N (1992c) A life table of the ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera Coccinellidae) in relation to the aphid abundance. Jpn J Entomol 60:575–579
Osawa N (1993) Population field studies of the aphidophagous ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis Pallas (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): life tables and key factor analysis. Res Popul Ecol 35:335–348
Osawa N (2000) Population field studies on the aphidophagous ladybird beetle Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae): resource tracking and population characteristics. Popul Ecol 42:115–127
Osawa N, Nishida T (1992) Seasonal variation in elytral colour polymorphism in Harmonia axyridis (the ladybird beetle): the role of non-random mating. Heredity 69:297–307
Pell JK, Baverstock J, Roy HE, Ware RL, Majerus MEN (2008) Intraguild predation involving Harmonia axyridis: a review of current knowledge and future perspectives. BioControl 53:147–168
Pimm SL, Lowton JH (1978) On feeding on more than one trophic level. Nature 275:542–544
Polis GA, Holt RD (1992) Intraguild predation: the dynamics of complex trophic interactions. Trends Ecol Evol 7:151–154
Roy HE, Wajnberg E (2008) From biological control to invasion: the ladybird Harmonia axyridis as a model species. BioControl 53:1–4
Roy HE, Baverstock J, Ware RL, Clark SJ, Majerus MEN, Baverstock KE, Pell JK (2008) Intraguild predation of the aphid pathogenic fungus Pandora neoaphidis by the invasive coccinellid Harmonia axyridis. Ecol Ent 33:175–182
SAS Institute (2007) JMP User’s Guide, ver. 7.02. SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC
Sasaji H (1971) Fauna Japonica, Insecta: Coccinellidae. Academic Press of Japan, Tokyo
Sato S, Yasuda H, Evans EW (2005) Dropping behaviour of larvae of aphidophagous ladybirds and its effects on incidence of intraguild predation: interactions between the intraguild prey, Adalia bipunctata (L.) and Coccinella septempunctata (L.), and the intraguild predator, Harmonia axyridis Pallas. Ecol Entomol 30:220–224
Schellhorn NA, Andow DA (2005) Response of coccinellids to their aphid prey at different spatial scales. Popul Ecol 47:71–76
Sloggett JJ (2008) Weighty matters: body size, diet and specialization in aphidophagous ladybird beetles (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). Eur J Entomol 105:381–389
Sloggett JJ, Davis AJ (2010) Eating chemically defended prey: alkaloid metabolism in an invasive ladybird predator of other ladybirds (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). J Exp Biol 213:237–241
Sloggett JJ, Haynes KF, Obrycki JJ (2009a) Hidden costs to an invasive intraguild predator from chemically defended native prey. Oikos 118:1396–1404
Sloggett JJ, Obrycki JJ, Haynes KF (2009b) Identification and quantification of predation: novel use of gas chromatography-mass spectrometric analysis of prey alkaloid markers. Funct Ecol 23:416–426
Sloggett JJ, Magro A, Verheggen FJ, Hemptinne J-L, Hutchison WD, Riddick EW (2011) The chemical ecology of Harmonia axyridis. BioControl. doi:10.1007/s10526-011-9376-4
Snyder WE, Evans EW (2006) Ecological effects of invasive arthropod generalist predators. Ann Rev Ecol Syst 37:95–122
Takahashi K (1989) Intra- and interspecific predation of lady beetles in spring alfalfa fields. Jpn J Entomol 57:199–203 (In Japanese with English summary)
Takahashi K, Naito A (1984) Seasonal occurrence of aphids and their predators (Col. Coccinellidae) in Alfalfa fields. Bull Natl Grassl Inst 29:62–66
Tanigishi K (1976) Hibernation of the lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis. Insectarium 13:294–298 (In Japanese)
Toda Y, Sakuratani Y (2006) Expansion of the geographical distribution of an exotic ladybird beetle, Adalia bipunctata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and its interspecific relationships with native ladybird beetles in Japan. Ecol Res 21:292–300
Wang S, Michaud JP, Tan XL, Zhang F, Guo XJ (2010) The aggregation behavior of Harmonia axyridis in its native range in Northeast China. BioControl 56:193–206
Ware RL, Majerus MEN (2008) Intraguild predation of immature stage of British and Japanese coccinellids by the invasive ladybird Harmonia axyridis. BioControl 53:169–188
Yasuda H, Ohnuma N (1999) Effect of cannibalism and predation on the larval performance of two ladybird beetles. Entmol Exp Appl 93:63–67
Yasuda H, Evans EW, Kajita Y, Urakawa K, Takizawa T (2004) Asymmetric larval interactions between introduced and indigenous ladybirds in North America. Oecologia 141:722–731
Acknowledgments
Many thanks are due to the organizing committee, especially Drs. M. Kenis, H. Roy, D. Badenbreier, and R. Ware, of the IOBC/WPRS Harmonia meeting held at Engelberg, Switzerland in September 2010 for providing me the opportunity to present a study of H. axyridis in its native range, which was the basis for this paper. I thank two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions on this manuscript. This study was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (No. 20405047) to N. Osawa.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Handling Editor: Helen Roy
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Osawa, N. Ecology of Harmonia axyridis in natural habitats within its native range. BioControl 56, 613–621 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-011-9382-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-011-9382-6