What Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat?
Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) are primarily predators, and their diet varies depending on life stage and availability of food. The bulk of their diet consists of soft-bodied insects, especially aphids, which makes them beneficial in gardens and agricultural settings as natural pest control. They also consume scale insects, mites, and small caterpillars.
In addition to insects, Asian lady beetles will feed on pollen, nectar, and honeydew, especially when prey is scarce. Honeydew, a sugary substance excreted by aphids, can provide a supplemental carbohydrate source. In the absence of both insects and plant-based foods, they may even consume fungal spores or other decaying plant material to survive.
During the fall and early winter, when they prepare for overwintering, they may cluster indoors and feed very little, relying on stored energy from earlier feeding.
The diet of Asian lady beetles is flexible, but they are primarily aphid predators, with secondary consumption of other insects and plant-derived sugars when needed.
Asian Lady Beetles Eat Aphids
Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) actively feed on aphids. Aphids are one of their primary food sources, and both the larvae and adults are voracious predators of them. This makes Asian lady beetles particularly useful in gardens and agricultural settings for natural pest control, as a single adult beetle can consume dozens of aphids per day, and larvae often consume even more.
They do, however, have a flexible diet, so if aphids are scarce, they may also eat other soft-bodied insects, mites, or sugary substances like honeydew.
What Other Insects Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat?
Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) are generalist predators, meaning they will eat a wide variety of soft-bodied insects beyond aphids. Their diet includes:
Scale insects – small, sap-sucking insects often found on trees and shrubs.
Mites – particularly spider mites, which are common pests on many plants.
Whiteflies – tiny, flying sap-feeders that infest vegetables and ornamentals.
Mealybugs – soft-bodied insects covered in a white, waxy coating.
Thrips – very small, slender insects that feed on plant tissue.
Small caterpillars or insect eggs – especially if other prey is limited.
Both larvae and adults are predatory, though larvae tend to consume more insects relative to their size because they are actively growing. When insect prey is scarce, adults may supplement their diet with honeydew, nectar, pollen, or fungal spores, allowing them to survive until prey populations increase.
This broad diet is part of why Asian lady beetles are such effective biological control agents, but it also means they can outcompete native lady beetle species in some areas.
Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat Plants?
Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) are primarily predators, so they do not normally eat plants as their main food source. However, they may feed on certain plant materials under specific conditions, particularly when insect prey is scarce. This includes:
Honeydew – a sugary excretion from aphids and other sap-sucking insects. This is not plant tissue per se, but it is derived from plant sap.
Pollen and nectar – they occasionally consume these for energy, especially in early spring or late fall.
Overripe or damaged fruit – in some cases, adults may feed on fruit surfaces, particularly in orchards, which can cause minor cosmetic damage.
So while they don’t actively feed on healthy leaves or stems like true herbivores, they can interact with plants indirectlythrough sugary substances or opportunistic feeding. This occasional plant feeding is usually minor compared to their predation on insects.
Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat Honeydew?
Yes, Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) do eat honeydew. Honeydew is a sugary liquid excreted by aphids, scale insects, and some other sap-sucking pests. While these beetles are primarily predators of soft-bodied insects like aphids, honeydew serves as a supplemental carbohydrate source, providing energy when insect prey is scarce.
Both adults and larvae can consume honeydew, but adults are more likely to feed on it opportunistically, especially in late summer or fall when aphid populations decline. This behavior helps them survive periods of low prey availability and sustain energy for reproduction or overwintering.
Honeydew can also attract Asian lady beetles to plants even if aphid numbers are low, which sometimes explains why you might see them clustering on certain trees or shrubs.
Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat Pollen?
Yes, Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) do eat pollen, though it’s not their primary food. Pollen serves as a supplemental source of protein and energy, especially when their preferred prey—aphids and other soft-bodied insects—is scarce. Adult beetles are more likely than larvae to consume pollen, particularly in early spring when insects may be limited or in late fall before overwintering.
Feeding on pollen helps them maintain energy for reproduction and survival, and it also allows them to persist on plants even when insect prey populations fluctuate. While pollen alone isn’t enough for their full development, it is an important part of their flexible, opportunistic diet.
Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat Nectar?
Yes, Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) can feed on nectar, though it is not their primary food. Nectar provides a source of sugars and quick energy, which is particularly useful when their preferred prey—aphids and other soft-bodied insects—is scarce. Adults are more likely than larvae to consume nectar, especially in early spring or late fall, when insect availability is low.
This opportunistic feeding on nectar, along with pollen and honeydew, allows Asian lady beetles to maintain energy for survival, reproduction, and overwintering, making them highly adaptable in different environments.
Do Asian Lady Beetles Eat Fruit?
Yes, Asian lady beetles (Harmonia axyridis) can feed on fruit, but usually only under certain conditions. Their primary diet is insects like aphids, but when prey is scarce—particularly in late summer or fall—adults may feed on soft, overripe, or damaged fruit. This is most often seen in orchards, vineyards, or gardens, where they can occasionally cause minor cosmetic damage by puncturing fruit skins to access sugars.
They do not normally eat healthy leaves, stems, or other plant tissue, so they are not considered true herbivores. Fruit feeding is opportunistic and primarily driven by the need for carbohydrates when their usual insect prey is limited.