To: North American Fruit Explorers <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] asian lady bugs
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 20:40:27 -0500
> In the fall they congregate in swarms and become noticeable. In the
> summer, when potato beetle are around, they're scattered singly out in
> the fields, and unless you're looking for them you might not notice them.
>
> Maybe, like many birds, they change diet with the seasons? I have never
> seen them as a problem in fruit, though I often see them on eggplant and
> potatoes and peppers, where they are a beneficial, eating other insects
> (though admittedly a new and invasive beneficial, which may be reducing
> the numbers of native ladybugs. The natives aren't interested in the
> potato beetle, though.) They eat other insects in addition to potato
> beetle, and don't seem to damage the fruit. I have tree fruit, but most
> of it is ripe and gone long before now, except for one old pear tree;
> though that doesn't show damage from them either.
They do seem to attack fruit that has been damaged by birds. In NE
Missouri there were literally hundreds of them eating away one asian
pear that had been pecked (but was still on the tree). QUITE a sight!
-Bob
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