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Index of Subjects c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca wrote: > Hi Randy, > > Harmonia axyridis is indeed one of the introduced species of lady > beetles (6 of the 47 species found in the Maritimes). Most of the > research that I am aware related to the impact of introduced species > on native ones has implicated another species, Coccinella > septempunctata (the seven-spotted lady beetle), but this may be > because C. septempunctata has been around longer and has been the > subject of more research in the past. Given the phenomenal abundance > of H. axyridis in some areas I would be surprised if they were not > having some impact on native lady beetles (and other insects as well). > Hi Chris & All, Oct 22, 2007 I checked Larochelle (1979; Coccinellids of Quebec) for his comments about Coccinella septempunctata. One item stands out. In the early 1900s a tincture for toothache & rhumatism, made from this beetle, was popular in Europe. If my rusty French serves, this is prepared by mashing 60-80 seven-spotted beetles in an ounce of alcohol (presumably then strained) and either rubbed on or taken internally as 40-60 drops. The usage would suggest that they were also abundant in Europe where I think they are native. YT, DW, Kentville > > Nonetheless, unfortunate as this may be, the cat is well and truly out > of the bag by now since H. axyridis as now colonized the entire > eastern United States as well as most areas in southeastern Canada and > there are now robust populations in Washington, Oregon, California, > and British Columbia. Even assiduously destroying every one that came > within reach the effect would be far less even than the proverbial > pinprick on an elephant (there must surely be hundreds of millions of > H. axyridis in the Maritimes, if not more). > Barring unforeseen circumstances we are now stuck with this species as > a prominent part of our fauna. > > > N.B. The cat may still be bagged on both Prince Edward Island and Cape > Breton Island. Although I have found H. axyridis in all three counties > on PEI, they have nonetheless remained rare there and there may be > some chance that they will not permanently establish. David > McCorquodale's work on Cape Breton Island showed that although the > species arrived there in 1985, it seems to > have subsequently disappeared. Perhaps winter conditions have proved > too inclement for its survival there? On the other hand, if climate > change proceeds apace, these circumstances may not hold true for very > long ... > > > Cheers! > > > Chris > > > On 22-Oct-07, at 10:41 AM, Randy Lauff wrote: > > >> Multicoloured Asian Ladybird Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) >> >> >> >> "They don't seem to do any obvious harm in the house." >> >> "Some of them get inside and when I'm there I dutifully collect them >> and release them in the greenhouse where I hope they can put a dent >> in the whitefly population..." >> >> >> >> Harm in the house...no...dent in the whitefly population, perhaps. >> Cause a catastophic decline in our native species' numbers...isn't >> this one of the foreign culprits that could be responsible? >> >> >> >> When they're in such large, accessible numbers, I'd take the >> opportunity to destroy them. When I look at the choice between my >> garden and nature as a whole, nature wins. And yes, I remove >> earthworms from my garden, too. And I have a wonderful garden. There >> is no need for for foreign species assistance in gardening, not at >> the risk of the loss of natives. >> >> >> Randy >> _________________________________ >> RF Lauff >> Way in the boonies of >> Antigonish County, NS. >> > > _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. > > Christopher Majka - Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History > > 1747 Summer Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 3A6 > > (902) 424-6435 Email < c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca > <mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca> > > > _._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._. > >
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