The First Record of the Alien Ladybug Harmonia axyridis Pall. 1773 (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Azerbaijan

Abstract—For the first time, data on the invasion of the Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis (Pallas, 1773) in Azerbaijan are presented. At the end of March 2019, two specimens of H. axyridis were collected in the forests formed by the trees of Parrotia persica (DC.) C.A. Mey near the border with Iran on the territory of the Hyrcanian National Park. The native range of the species includes the southeast of Western Siberia, the south of Eastern Siberia and the Far East, Northeastern Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China, the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and Northern Vietnam. Now it is expanding worldwide. At the moment, H. axyridis is found in more than 50 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. The finding of the species in Azerbaijan shows that its invasion in the region continues.