Abstract :
[en] Originally introduced as a biological control agent, the multicoloured Asian ladybeetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), has become an invasive pest throughout Europe and North America in the last few years. Although its effectiveness to control aphid and coccid populations was impressive, some negative impacts appeared rapidly, notably on human health. Indeed, to protect themselves from cold temperatures, H. axyridis individuals move inside dwellings and buildings and form large aggregations in concealed portions of structures to overwinter. The aggregating beetles are responsible for some annoyances due to, on one hand, the number of individuals inside homes and, on the other hand, the hemolymph secretions they release when they are disturbed, which can cause allergic reactions. In order to highlight the specific features of infested houses, we investigated a large number of overwintering sites in Wallonia between 2007 and 2011. These sites were characterized through a survey sent to homeowners confronted to invasion problems. This survey was mainly focused on a general description of the infested house (type, colour, infested floor(s), building material), the orientation of the colonized rooms and the position of the beetles’ cluster. The collected data indicate that H. axyridis preferentially selects isolated brick houses with red or white fronts to take shelter. Aggregations are mostly located at the first floor, essentially inside south, west or southwest oriented rooms. Furthermore, ladybeetles generally gathered into wooden windows frames facing south, west or southwest and to a lesser extent, in the upper corners of walls presenting the same orientation. All these results contribute to improve the knowledge on the aggregative behaviour of H. axyridis and could promote the development of more specific and efficient management methods to prevent massive infestations into dwellings, such as artificial shelters or trapping systems located at the outside of buildings.
