DERBYSHIRE wildlife experts have allayed fears that ladybirds with a potentially deadly sexually transmitted disease are invading the UK.
Reports have announced that there has been an increase in the number of harlequin ladybirds, also know as Harmonia axyridis, which threaten UK native species and has already invaded much of north-western Europe.
They also say harlequins are carriers of the sexually transmitted disease Laboulbeniales fungal infection.
But Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has said it had not yet been certified.
Kieron Huston, senior local wildlife sites officer at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, said: "There is a concern that the harlequin might pass on a fungal infection to native species, but I'm not aware that this has been proved as yet."
According to the Harlequin Ladybird Survey, the species arrived in Britain in 2004 but, due to the long warm summer, numbers of the ladybird have increased.
The survey said there were 46 species of ladybird resident in Britain but the recent arrival of the harlequin ladybird had the "potential to jeopardise many of these".
However, it has been claimed that the infection can only be spread to other ladybirds, not humans.
Wildlife experts say the fungal infection is transmitted between ladybirds during mating and can sometimes spread between insects which rub against each other when they cluster together in groups.
Mr Huston said it was "very difficult" to establish the percentage of harlequins to native ladybirds.
He said: "In some years, the number of harlequin ladybirds has been very high, but they tend to aggregate at certain times of the year and can be quite noticeable.
"I would say that in some years harlequins are among our most common ladybird based on sightings. However, this year I have seen very few. I note that a recent report has said they are the second most populous ladybird species."
He added: "The larvae of the harlequin ladybird is carnivorous and will eat the larvae of other ladybirds especially when these are much smaller. Both harlequin larvae and adults may compete with native species over food resources such as aphids."
People who see any harlequin ladybirds are being asked to contact the Harlequin Ladybird Survey, which aims to record the spread of the insects at www.harlequin-survey.org.
How to spot a harlequin ladybird:
Size and shape: large (7-8mm or about ¼ inch), round
Wing case ground colour: pale yellow-orange, orange-red, red or black; highly variable.
Wing pattern: 0-21 orange-red or black spots, or grid pattern; highly variable.
Most common forms in UK: orange with 15-21 black spots: black with two or four orange or red spots.
Pronotum (the first segment of the thorax) pattern: white or cream with up to 5 spots or fused lateral spots forming 2 curved lines, M-shaped mark or solid trapezoid.
Other characteristics: wing case with wide keel at base; legs almost always brown.
If it's less than 5 mm (1/5 inch) in length, it is definitely not a harlequin ladybird.
