This is an invasive species which was imported from East Asia to Europe for commercial pest control of crops. It is now the 2nd most commonly found ladybird species in the UK and there is concern that it is responsible for the decline of some native species by outcompeting them for food and habitat and by preying on them.
Another example of the folly of man's intereference with nature!
A lovely capture , what a shame that the Harlequin may be responsibly of the decline of our native lady bird ! Love the textures in this shot -- the smoothness and shine of the ladybird against the rough grainy and algae encrusted wooden planks !
It looks biiiig! HunterGatherer came back home the other evening with a ladybird crawling on his mini-computer that he uses when out soil sampling on the quad.
