Arrival, establishment, and habitat use of the multicolored Asian lady beetle (Coleoptera : Coccinellidae) in a Michigan landscape

A monitoring system established within an array of cultivated and uncultiva ted habitats was used to characterize the first 5 yr of establishment of th e erotic multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), in an agricultural landscape of southwestern Michigan. Population trends over tim e were summarized for ii species of resident coccinellids before and after the arrival of H. axyridis. In addition, annual population increase, habita t utilization patterns, and within-season population fluctuation for H. axy ridis were analyzed H. axyridis became a dominant coccinellid species in th e landscape 4 yr after its arrival. Adults of this species were found in al l habitats monitored, including early secondary succession, poplar plantati on, alfalfa, soybean, corn, and winter wheat. Significant population peaks were observed early and late in the season, depending on the habitat. Resid ent species that appear affected by the establishment of H. axyridis are Br achiacantha ursina (F.), Cycloneda munda (Say), and Chilocorus stigma (Say) . However, to attribute the decline on the numbers of those species to H. a xyridis will require further assessment.