The ten-spotted ladybird beetle (Henosepilachna decempunctata) is an insect belonging to the order Coleoptera and the family Coccinellidae. Its body length is around 1 cm, with a light yellowish-brown color marked by 10 distinct black spots, making it look very similar to beneficial ladybird beetles. It is widely distributed across Asia, including Korea, Japan, China, India, and Southeast Asia.
This beetle causes significant damage to crops, particularly those in the Solanaceae family. Both adults and larvae feed on the epidermis and mesophyll of leaves, leaving only the veins and creating a net-like appearance. Severe damage disrupts photosynthesis, stunts plant growth, and reduces yields. The beetle is active mainly from May to September, with peak damage occurring in June and July when larvae are abundant. Depending on the climate, it has 3–4 generations per year. Overwintered adults attack crops in spring and lay eggs, which hatch in 1–2 weeks. The larvae then cause major damage before pupating and emerging as adults, repeating the cycle throughout the growing season. Populations increase rapidly during the summer months.
Most ladybird beetles are well-known as beneficial insects that prey on aphids, but the ten-spotted ladybird beetle is often mistaken for such beneficial species due to its similar appearance. Unlike predatory ladybirds, this species is plant-feeding, making it a pest rather than a natural enemy of aphids. Some related phytophagous ladybirds have even been reported to bore into and feed on eggplant fruits, creating further confusion for farmers. While the commonly beneficial ladybird has seven spots, this pest species is marked with ten spots, and its relative, the large 28-spotted ladybird beetle (Henosepilachna vigintioctomaculata), has 28 spots and also damages crops.
Unlike many insect pests that damage crops only at specific stages, both adults and larvae of the ten-spotted ladybird beetle feed on plants throughout the growing season, making damage prolonged and severe. Its wide range of host plants also makes it difficult to control. With multiple generations per year and high reproductive capacity -each female lays hundreds of eggs - the population grows quickly. Adults are capable of flight, allowing them to migrate easily between fields. Chemical pesticides can achieve partial control, but larvae often hide on the undersides of leaves where sprays cannot reach, and adults can escape and reinfest crops. Furthermore, the beetle quickly develops resistance, reducing the effectiveness of repeated pesticide use.
At JADAM Organic Farm, the application of JADAM Microbial Pesticide (JMP) to larvae feeding on grape leaves demonstrated strong control effects, as shown in the latter part of the video. JMP is highly effective against a broad range of pests and has the major advantage of not inducing resistance. Over two years of field testing on nearly all insect pests found on the farm, JMP was effective against almost all species. One of the most remarkable outcomes is its ability to completely eliminate mosquitoes.
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