The exotic Harmonia axyridis and the native Olla v-nigrum and Coleomegilla maculata (all Coleoptera:Coccinellidae) overlap both spatially and temporally in various habitats. Laboratory tests were done to examine egg cannibalism and interspecific egg predation by larvae of these predators. Larval mortality and days to develop for each species were lower, and adult fresh weights were higher, when larvae were fed solely their own species' eggs compared with predation on the other two species' eggs. Larvae of both native species had high survival when fed the other native species' eggs whereas neither survived to adulthood on a diet of H. axyridis eggs. In contrast, H. axyridis larvae survived on its eggs and on eggs of both native species.
Species 1: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Harmonia axyridis (Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle)
Species 2: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Olla v-nigrum (Ashgray Lady Beetle)
Species 3: Coleoptera Coccinellidae Coleomegilla maculata (Twelvespotted Lady Beetle)
Keywords: Cannibalism, Intraguild
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