This may be an alien invasion of a different kind. A certain insect species, the harlequin ladybird (Harmonia axyridis), is literally "invading" our planet Earth.
According to reports, this Asian beetle covered in orange spots has been found to be invasive and increasing its spread at a rapid pace. At a global level, it is has been "spotted" in a few regions across U.S., Canada, Europe, South America and Southern and Northern Africa.
Farmers and agriculturalists commonly welcome these beetles to their flock as they are mighty helpful in keeping the pests at bay. However, the sudden increase in the number of beetles has left them quite baffled.
This phenomenon has also stirred the interests of the scientific community; researchers and biologists alike. They are all guns in, trying to figure out the reason behind this sudden insect invasion and the impact it can have on the planet's ecosystem.
Helen Roy is the lead author of a study paper that collectively documents the wide insights of researchers from all over the world. It has been published on Springer's journal Biological Invasions dated March 23.
"The rapid spread of this species has inspired biologists to study the process of invasion on a global scale," said Helen Roy from the UK-based Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.
While the ladybirds' invasive attack is being keenly monitored and researched, the impact that their growing presence might have on the ecological balance has still not been ascertained. Citizen scientists have also joined in to help monitor these insects.
"The involvement of the public in monitoring this species in a number of countries around the world is inspiring and has provided data on scales that would be otherwise unachievable," said Roy.
Its successful growth rate and expansion has been seemingly linked to the bug's innate ability to adapt and thrive under different climatic and geographical conditions.
