Scientists from Anglia Ruskin University, University of Cambridge and Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) have been collaborating to monitor the spread and impact of the invasive harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis, since its arrival in Britain in 2004. Now they have the opportunity to explain their work at the prestigious Royal Society Summer Exhibition - the science show of the year - taking place from Tuesday 30 June to Saturday 4 July 2009.

Using stringent and imaginative experiments, the research team, together with further collaborators at Rothamsted Research and Hull University, are exploring their prediction that over 1000 species in Britain are at risk from the harlequin, and how it might be controlled.

The harlequin is a voracious predator and whilst it mainly feeds on pest insects such as aphids (greenfly), it is also known to feed on other insects, including various ladybird species. There is thus great concern over negative impacts on native ladybirds. Anglia Ruskin has had a major role in the project since the start, with Dr Helen Roy (now CEH) and the late Professor Mike Majerus (University of Cambridge) founding the Harlequin Ladybird Survey. Now Peter Brown, Dr Alison Thomas and Styliana Philippou, all from the department of Life Sciences, and Dr. Ware, are working on a project to determine and quantify predation levels on native ladybirds in the wild, using genetic techniques. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a method for making many copies of a specific DNA sequence and allows the scientists to detect and identify what has been eaten by a harlequin ladybird, by analysing prey DNA present in the harlequin's gut contents.

The exhibition is taking place at the Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG.

On the exhibition stand, you can learn how to distinguish harlequins from our native species, see harlequins behaving badly, get up close to them under the microscope, find out how scientists are trying to control the invasion and how you can help by catching the recording bug!

More information is available from the Harlequin Survey website.