September in London
A couple of days looking for ladybirds ......
 

In spring and summer ladybirds may be found on most plants so searching for them can be time-consuming.  In the autumn there is less of a problem: they will be wherever there is food and that is mainly on trees.  Aphids are still present, especially on limes (Tilia spp) and sycamore or other Acer spp.. Other tree leaves have mildew, especially ash (Fraxinus) but also oak (Quercus) and beech (Fagus), on which the orange ladybird feeds.

One of the main reasons for the expedition is to see how far the 'harlequin' ladybird Harmonia axyridis (right) has spread. They have continued to breed  in Wandsworth and there are recent reports from Barnes, Chiswick and Harold Wood.  It seem likely then that they may have dispersed over most of inner London (see maps). Armed with a one-day travelcard it is easy to hop from place to place looking for trees!
There have been no reports from the City. Indeed, there are seldom reports of insects from the City - perhaps because there are so few trees. So, first to Old Street station (pupae of a 7-spot and a harlequin on ash in fenced off area) to check on Bunhill Fields Burial Ground. Nothing on the trees except for one lime with harlequin larva, pupa and imago: this adult is melanic with distorted wing-cases (elytra).  About six such distorted individuals noted today.
Cross the River (or rather go under it): nothing in Southwark Cathedral grounds which are well planted with some large trees but in the park by the new City Hall are a few harlequin larvae.  Other local sites without ladybirds (or any other insects) until Jamaica Road where a cluster of limes bear all stages of the harlequin life history including large patches of eggs. These ova look no different from other ladybirds' or many other beetles'. There are a few 2-spot ladybirds here.
Carrying on through Bermondsey, other infestations are seen, especially in Southwark Park.  The excitement here is in seeing a solitary 7-spot ladybird crawling along a path.  Most of the aphids on these trees seem to have been eaten. Over the road on an aphid-infested maple is a pupa of the orange ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata but no aphid-eating species..
On to Rotherhithe, especially the developments around Canada Water. Canada Road and Quebec Way are lined by quite young sycamores and maples. Most of these have lots of harlequin ladybirds. Some of them are on roses below the trees where they seem to be trying to chew the ripe hips.  Starvation will clearly be likely for many of these larvae. Adults can fly away in search of new food supplies but the larvae, once the aphids have gone, will cannibalise eggs and other larvae. A 2-spot pupa on one tree is being attacked by a harlequin larva (right).

Pupae and larvae are seen on some strange places. Left, on a roadside bollard in Quebec Way (click picture for closer view of pupae and imagines - larvae were also running around). Underneath a sycamore - did they fall accidentally or did the larvae search for somewhere to pupate where they wouldn't be attacked by their fellows?  One of these has deformed elytra. Later seen on gravestones in Kensal Green Cemetery, right.

....... and so it goes:  varying numbers of trees, lots of haxy (as we might call Harmonia axyridis, without affection) and few other insects.  Happily, no haxy in the Ecological Park around Stave Hill.  About time to go back over the River and see what Newham has to offer.  Two isolated 2-spot ladybirds in the Memorial Recreation Ground but much more life in the West Ham Churchyard. Unfortunately mainly the harlequin although there are quite a few two-spots and even some ten-spots emerging. Though 'new' ladybirds have no marks on the wing cases, the pattern on the pronotum (forebody) is diagnostic for some species as the 10-spot, right.
Finally to Leytonstone, the only place where no harlequins are found although larvae of other ladybirds are present on limes in St John's churchyard. This churchyard, like so many is fairly overgrown and thus of great value for urban wildlife. However, they do seem to prune their trees overmuch! One ladybird which has not been seen very much today is the pine ladybird Exochomus quadripustulatus - one would expect at least a few of the distinctive pupae (right). The pine has not been seen even on trees heavily infested with chestnut scale - their favourite food.
The next day, travelling by overground on the much improved North London Line, to Hackney and Victoria Park where there are large numbers of H. axyridis - some just emerging from pupae. (I didn't get a good photo of emergence but Martin Honey took the excellent picture, right, at Barnes Wetland Centre - click pic to enlarge).  Other occasional sightings walking to Hackney Central en route for Hampstead Heath where larvae found in Parliament Hill and other streets but not on the Heath itself. A good sign?
To Kensal Green Cemetery (small numbers of larvae en route) where the trees are mainly horse chestnut (sometimes a home for Orange ladybirds) but with one small clump of limes to the north. These are full of haxy with pupae spreading on to the shaded sides of nearby tombstones. Choosing not to go to paradise,  I went to Paddington (more haxy in the streets) and across Kensington Gardens where a few weeks before one or two haxy had been seen including a severely deformed imago (right, click pic for different view). Many more today, most being 19-spotted forms.
So to lunch in the tranquil gardens behind St Mary Abbotts church - where there are lime trees with many haxy and a solitary orange Halyzia sedecimguttata (click pic to enlarge). After lunch, to Holland Park the most interesting of London's parks both historically and for its wildlife: the northern part being idiosyncratic woodland, including a population of black rabbits. A few larvae seen in the open parts of the Park but none in the wooded area, even where sycamore and lime present, although another orange ladybird seen.
A final morning to extend the search: starting off with the find of haxy larvae in Leytonstone (I had thought that Waltham Forest was, at least for the moment, free of the beast). However none seen in the semi-natural area of Bush Wood. Walking down to Leyton, past the Sidmouth Road nature area of Newport School, there are many orange ladybirds on a mildewed ash tree in the hedgerow including larvae and the distinctive pupae (right).
Haxy larvae present on trees on Canonbury station - many sightings have been in railway stations and embankments: these are covered with aphid-rich trees and shrubs ideal for all ladybirds. More in Highbury Fields and, as elsewhere, some 2-spots Adalia bipunctata (three life stages: right - click to enlarge). This might have been a good autumn for Adalia ladybirds but will the early stages be eaten by haxy? Will there be any aphids left for them to eat? So via Queens Park (famous for giving its name to the football club) to Euston Square.
There had been a few larvae here a few weeks ago but now there were several of all life stages. As with almost every site visited.  Reproduction has now become a continuous production line.  Larvae are most common (right: larva in the process of pupating) but there are plenty of pupae which will rapidly emerge.  With little to eat they will fly in search of aphids or other food so will undoubtedly spread out of London. They may continue mating until November, as last year.
	The map (left) shows records at the end of the brief survey, but ..... Returning to Sheffield (which haxy has not yet reached) I received reports of the beast in Finchley and Alexandra Park; many more from Romford and some in southern Brixton.  Several deformed specimens but no evidence, yet, of parasitoid attack. It is undoubtedly untrue to assume that the lack of spots in SE London reflect reality - simply that no one has looked or reported from there. To summarise: to date large numbers (thousands) are present in the core colonies of northern Wandsworth and Lambeth;  considerable numbers (hundreds) are present in almost any suitable place within about 10 km of the core and isolated individuals are seen around this. There seems to have been more E-W spread than N-S (less resistance along the Thames?).  This autumnal reproductive phase is much earlier than last year and many more ladybirds can be expected to survive the winter.

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CREATED 15/9/05
LAST MODIFIED 20/9/05