The Asian Ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis, or h.axyridis), known as Harlequin lady beetle and Halloween ladybeetle, appears very much like the ‘lady bug’ each of us are familiar with, except they are slightly larger. They are also known as the multicolored Asian lady beetle as the color varies in the red-orange to yellow-orange with no spots to about 20.

The Asian Ladybeetle is interesting as an invasive species because they are both pest to some agriculture and benefit to others.

As a beneficial insect, they act to control pest aphid populations, mites and scale insects infestingpine trees, ornamental shrubs, roses, pecan, crape myrtle, and other plants. But as a pest for example, it consumes wine grapes. Plus they release hemolymph (an invertebrate fluid equivalent to blood) when they are disturbed or killed. This fluid has an unpleasant odor and taste, which spoils wine production if harvested with the grapes. The Asian Ladybeetle is also considered a pest to the apple, pear, raspberry, citrus, and potato agriculture industry. As a nuisance pest, when temperatures begin to drop the Asian Ladybeetle swarms search for warm places for the winter, and during the summer they have a knack for ending up in food and drink.

The National Institute of Health identifies that the economic impact of the Asian Ladybeetle has yet to be quantified.

There are several insecticides used to manage the Asian Ladybeetle population. Proper management however takes in consideration of the crop they are infesting. But for at home, sealing or spraying carefully around windows, vents, cracks, and other openings to the house reduce home invasion problems. A few parasitoids (parasite organisms) and a fungus are known to attack the Asian Ladybeetle, but no research has been undertaken to investigate biological controls against these pests.