Jewel, Asian Lady Beetles - UPDATE October 17, 2017
The team checked the den where Jewel was born in January 2009, had cubs in January 2014 and January 2016, and was with yearlings this past winter/spring in 2017. Nothing.
They did not check the den where Jewel turned 2 years old in 2011 and where she gave birth to Fern and Herbie as a 3-year-old in January 2012 because it has caved in a bit and we like to ask permission before going on that property. The team did check the den where she was with yearlings Fern and Herbie in winter/spring 2013. Nothing. We’ll have to wait until spring to know if she made it through the hunting season.Out the window, the annual invasion of Asian Lady Beetles (Harmonia axyridis) began today. They were purposely introduced in a number of states, but they spread and became numerous and like to winter in houses. We hardly or never see the native Lady Beetles anymore. The two pictures show some of the variation in the Asian Lady Beetle color patterns, especially the M-shaped marking on the white area behind the head.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center