harlequin ladybird

[Granny]

I've just spotted what I think is a harlequin ladybird crawling about in my kitchen. It's black with a large red patch on each wing case and largeish white patches on its eyes, (or where you'd imagine its eyes to be!) I'm sure I read that it's a pest so I'm keeping it in a jar at the moment. Should I just let it go into the garden or should I kill it?
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Granny

[Chantal]

Does it look like one of these? I sounds like one of them.

www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/vine/galleries/602/9/

I'm not sure what you should do but killing it sounds good to me.

[arthur e]

Is it me or do I see a good old British ladybird getting friendly with one of those Harlot ladybirds in your link Chantal
Arthur E

[Granny]

It's like the one underneath.
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Granny

[Belinda]

http://www.harlequin-survey.org/

Good info here

[Chantal]

I thought the same thing Arthur but it seems they're both nasty Harlequins.

They're certainly very friendly.

[Granny]

Another 2 ladybirds appeared in the kitchen yesterday evening - all different varieties. Most bizarre.
Thanks for the websites. Belinda, your one is very useful. I've saved them in a jamjar and my OH can drop them in on the way to work!
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Granny

[mandylew]

harlequin ladybirds have been on autumnwatch this evening, apparently there are 100 different variations of colour/pattern, and it seems they like ivy?!

Mandy