Hello bug lovers! In this exciting edition of Arthro-Pod, Jody leads Mike and Jon through an episode entirely dedicated to the multicolored Asian lady beetle. It is known by many names, the multicolored lady bug, the Halloween beetle, and the fake ladybug amongst others. You may have seen them in your home just recently or been unlucky enough to feel their bite! In this episode, you'll learn how they appeared in the US, the other ways they can pose problems, and ponder the reasons why people would call a real member of the Coccinelidae a "fake lady beetle".
MALB spending the winter with Jody Green
Show Notes
Mike refers to Harmonia axyridis Wikipedia page to see variations: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_axyridis
Bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/397
Lost lady bug project: http://www.lostladybug.org/
Convergent lady beetleJournal article about MALB and dogs after ingestion in Toxicon by Stocks and Lindsey 2008: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010108003395#fig1
A Review of Ladybug Taint in Wine: Origins, Prevention, and Remediation by Pickering and Botezau 2021 https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/14/4341
Journal article about MALB and seasonal allergens: Nakazawa et al. 2007 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0091674906030235?via%3Dihub
Goetz 2008: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5423147_Harmonia_axyridis_ladybug_invasion_and_allergy
Information about molecule, harmonine from Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany https://www.mpg.de/7246516/Asian-lady-beetles
Vacuum with pantyhose method: https://www.mypmp.net/2016/05/19/recommend-this-method-to-bed-bug-afflicted-clients/
MALB eggs MALB larvae MALB pupae© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.
