Pretty - But Deadly

I was thinking that I hadn't seen any ladybirds in my garden so far this year and the aphids were starting to get a hold, when I saw this solitary one. It's unfortunate that it is a Harlequin and not a native species.

The Harlequin ladybird was introduced to North America in 1988 in an effort to control aphids, but they spread rapidly to become the most widespread ladybird species on the continent.

The Harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)

They arrived in Britain in summer 2004, probably wind-borne.. There are 46 species of ladybird (Coccinellidae) resident in Britain and the Harlequin has the potential to jeopardise many of these, as they are voracious feeders and soon turn to eating the larvae and eggs of native ladybirds, moths and butterflies.