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Harmonia axyridis
Harmonia axyridis is a large coccinellid beetle. Its colour ranges from yellow-orange to black, and the number of spots between 0 and 22. It is native to eastern Asia, but has been introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids and scale insects. It is now common, well known and spreading in those regions. It is commonly known in North America as Asian lady beetle, or Japanese ladybug, and in the United Kingdom as the Harlequin ladybird (the last because it occurs in numerous colour forms). It is also known in North America as the multicolored Asian lady beetle, and (because it invades homes in October in preparation for hibernation) as Halloween lady beetle. This species was possibly established in North America as the result of introductions into the United States in an attempt to control the spread of aphids. Whatever the source, in the last two decades, this insect has spread throughout the United States and Canada and has been a prominent factor in controlling aphid populations.
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