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Genre: Pets & Animals
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Shared May 31, 2023
This is the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (ladybug, ladybird) - Harmonia axyridis, also known as the Harlequin Lady Beetle. It's invasive in Europe and the Americas. (Note: the ladybug in this video has a rare two-tone deformity that's unrelated to the STD fungus. It's not completely clear why this happens with some ladybugs). You can identify the Asian Lady Beetle by the "M" behind its head, or "W" depending on how the beetle is oriented.
The Asian Lady Beetle is targeted by the Laboulbeniales fungus. This fungus grows on the exoskeleton of the beetles. Its sticky spores spread by prolonged physical contact, and because ladybugs mate for a long time the fungus is able to spread between partners. Research is still being done to determine how harmful the fungus is to lady beetles. There's also concern it will eventually spread to the native ladybugs.
Music: "Break You In" by Vibe Tracks, from YouTube's audio library.
#nature #animals #science #insects #learning #ladybug #shorts
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