Harmonia axyridis, (PALLAS)

Hicks, Barry, Majka, Christopher G. & Moores, Shelley Pardy, 2010, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) Found in Newfoundland, The Coleopterists Bulletin 64 (1), pp. 50-50 : 50

HARMONIA AXYRIDIS (PALLAS) ( COLEOPTERA : COCCINELLIDAE ) FOUND IN NEWFOUNDLAND

Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) , the multicolored Asian lady beetle, is an Old World species native to eastern Siberia and northern Japan. It was intentionally introduced as a biological control agent to North America. Introductions took place in Louisiana during 1978–1981, although there were previous attempts as early as 1916 (Gordon 1985; Gordon and Vandenberg 1991). Established populations were first detected in Louisiana in 1988 and Mississippi in 1990 (Hoebeke and Wheeler 1996). Although it is an effective predator of aphids, its rapid dispersal throughout the continent, and the high population levels found in some areas, have raised concerns with respect to this invasive species. Potential negative impacts include interactions with native coccinellids, being a source of damage in fruit production, a problem for apiarists due to seasonal aggregations in bee hives, and a nuisance to homeowners when congregating in overwintering sites ( Foley et al. 2009). In North America, it has now been recorded in every jurisdiction save Arizona, Newfoundland, Labrador, Saskatchewan, and Wyoming (Koch et al. 2006; Foley et al. 2009).

A specimen of H. axyridis was collected by S. Pardy Moores in June/ July 2000 in the town of Kelligrews in Conception Bay South on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland. It is deposited in the collection of the Wildlife Division, Department of Environment and Conservation. Subsequently, on 16 July 2009, B. Hicks collected a specimen of H. axyridis inside the Cabot Tower on Signal Hill in St. John’ s, Newfoundland (47°34′12″N; 52°40′ 54″W). The specimen is deposited in the collection of the Carbonear campus, College of the North Atlantic. These are the first records of H. axyridis in the province, and represent a range extension of some 600 km from its known distribution in Nova Scotia (McCorquodale 1998). It is ironic that one of the last places in North America where this Old World species has been found is the Cabot Tower on Signal Hill, precisely the spot where on 12 December 1901 Guglielmo Marconi claimed to have received the first transatlantic wireless transmissions from the Old World.