The Urban Pantheist

It's at the point now that if I see a lady beetle--whether it has no spots, 16 spots, or something in the middle--I'm astonished if it isn't the Asian multicolored beetle Harmonia axyridis. In the habitats I explore, those that are strongly impacted by humans, it is by far the most common coccinellid. The variable colors of this species, introduced to control garden pests, give the illusion of biodiversity. The sad truth is that the newcomer is probably outcompeting native lady beetles into a marginal existence if not oblivion.