The Asian ladybug (also known as the ninja ladybug or harlequin) is most often a yellow or orange ladybug with black dots. A bite by Asian ladybugs may, in some cases, end in an allergy. What are the symptoms of an Asian ladybug bite? What is the fight against the Asian ladybug? How to get rid of Asian ladybugs at home? How to distinguish an Asian ladybug from a Polish one?
Asian ladybug( Harmonia axyridis ), otherwiseharlequin ladybug , harlequin or ninja ladybug , is an invasive species of the ladybug family.
As the name suggests,Asian ladybugscome from Southeast Asia. In the 19th century, these insects were brought to North America and Europe to control aphids in agricultural areas, but they got out of control.
In Poland, Asian ladybugs appeared for the first time in 2006 in Poznań. Since then, the occurrence of the ladybug has been observed all over the country. They sit on the windows and enter the apartments.Asian ladybugs at homeis a real plague.
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Asian ladybugs (harlequin) - where are they?
There are about 5,000 people in the world. species of beetles from the ladybird family, of which about 80 species have been recorded in Poland. They feed mainly on co-winged bugs (aphids, honeys, scugs).
Ladybugs look for shelter in the fall and winter. They winter, for example, underground, under tree bark in parks, forests or even in hollows and bird boxes, as well as in houses - they usually nest in window frames or door frames.
There can be even several hundred of them in one place, although it happens that only single "pieces" are brought into the apartment. Asian ladybugs are very expansive!
They reproduce very quickly and inhabit the areas previously occupied by our native ladybirds. In addition, when food is scarce, they eat other insects, including the eggs and larvae of other ladybugs.
Asian ladybug (harlequin) - symptoms of a bite
What does an Asian ladybug bite look like?Asian ladybug bites are red and itchy. OtherwiseAsian ladybugs can bite people and animals, causing allergy symptoms such as:
- rhinitis
- asthma
- hives
- angioedema
American scientists described two cases of children after exposure to ladybugs with severe allergic facial angioedema that required emergency department assistance .¹
Two cases involving preschool boys followed a similar course, despite being assessed by 2 different allergists.
Both patients developed severe angioedema of the face or around the eyeball without significant respiratory symptoms after being exposed to ladybugs outside the home.
PTS with Asian ladybug extract was carried out with clearly positive results. After implementing environmental control, similar events did not recur .¹
Allergy to the Asian ladybug reaches up to 10% in certain areas .¹
In addition, the yellow substance (hemolymph) released by it at the moment of danger (and even after death) leaves stains on furniture, walls and floors that cannot be removed.
Asian ladybugs (harlequin) - fighting. How do I get rid of them?
The easiest and most effective way to get rid of Asian ladybugs from your home is to vacuum them up.
After thoroughly vacuuming all places where we have observed even single specimens, it is best to throw the bag away and immediately take it out of the house to the rubbish bin.
To protect yourself from invasion, you should put a mosquito net over the window.
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Asian ladybug and Polish ladybug - differences
At first glance, the Asian ladybug is very fond of our Polish one. However, if you look closely, there are clear differences.
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| number of dots |
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Bibliography:
1. Buczyko K., Majsiak E., Wagner A., Allergy to non-cellulite insects, "Allergy Astma Immunologia" 2015, no. 20 (3)