They're here! The invasive Harlequin Ladybird (also variously known as multicoloured, multivariate, Japanese, Asian and, in the USA especially, Halloween ladybird) has reached my garden. The distinctive spiny larva was photographed on 29rd May 2007, and the first adult 4 days later.

With ample supplies of aphids in the garden it seems inevitable that these will be the first of many. One constraining factor may be a tendency of the larvae to eat each other, which seems to be what is happening in the far right photo.

More information, identification tips and a reporting system can be found at the Harlequin Ladybird Survey. The London Ladybird Survey have a Rogues Gallery of adult insects.

Pale variants
Almost spotless elytra, a few black spots on thorax		19 spots, usually a black "W" on thorax
Melanic variants
2 "Pacman" spots + 2 triangles			4 round spots		2 spots
Just emerged			Prey
A newly emerged axyridis, seen with its pupal case, has unmarked elytra; the markings on the thorax suggest this is destined to be a nineteen-spot form.			By September, a colony of H. axyridis had gathered on a Kilmarnock Willow, which is infested by Giant Willow Aphids (Tuberolachnus salignus). Clearly the ladybirds are preying on these aphids, and this one is about to catch its lunch.