Harmonia quadripunctata

The cream-streaked ladybird

This is closely related to Harmonia axyridis and resembles it in its early life stages. The imagines ('adults') of both species have pale legs and are quite large (the cream-streaked usually smaller) but their forebodies (pronota) differ: the cream-streaked has a many small spots, and generally is smaller than haxy. Both have varying elytral spot numbers - from 0-16 on H. quadripunctata (most commonly, 0, 4 or 16), 0-23 on H. axyridis. Haxy is commonly melanic, cream-streaked rarely.

	Imagines of Harmonia axyridis (left) and Harmonia quadripunctata (right). Haxy may have smaller black patches but not in the double row typical of the cream-streaked.
	Harmonia quadripunctata Left: larvae of cream-streaked ladybird and right, pupa (Compare to haxy)
	Haxy is a prey generalist and can be found on almost any plant whereas the cream-streaked is almost invariably found on pine (Pinus sp) trees. It predominantly eats adelgids (conifer aphids - right) and commonly rests amongst the pine needles (left)

Harmonia axyridis in England
UK ladybirds
Pinus mugo ladybirds

CREATED 8/8/2006