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Professor Mike Majerus

Wonderful life: the legacy of an inspirational evolutionary biologist

Mike Majerus Memorial Lecture

Professor of Evolution University of Cambridge

Evolution of colour pattern polymorphism

Coccinella magnifica Coccinella hieroglyphica

Evolutionary ecology of tropical butterflies

Mate choice in ladybirds

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Evolution and ecology of insects

Chilocorus bipustulatus

Biological science must stand on its foundations in basic observations of organisms in the field: what they do, when they do it, why they do it, and how they have come to do it. Majerus, 1994

New Naturalist - Ladybirds

Pandora neoaphidis and Coccinella septempunctata

I also enjoy speculating... If my ideas and theories are subsequently put to the test by others who are caught up in a fascination of ladybirds...I will be delighted, whether my ideas are verified or refuted. Majerus, 1994

Engaging people in biological recording

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Ladybird recording on-line in 2005

Pioneer of citizen science

Ladybird Top Trumps

Ladybirds of Britain and Ireland (2011)

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Revised Naturalists Handbook

NIW: Ladybirds at London Zoo

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The Ladybird has Landed

The Ladybird has Landed! A new ladybird has arrived in Britain. But not just any ladybird: this is Harmonia axyridis, the most invasive ladybird on Earth.
Press Release 5th October 2004

Spread of the Harlequin ladybird

2003-2004 2005-2006 2007-2008 2009-2010

The negative effects of H. axyridis on other aphidophages are likely to be the result of a complex range of interactions, with H. axyridis in general having a competitive edge through resource competition, intraguild predation and a more plastic phenotype. A more rapid development rate, continual breeding ability and lack of diapause requirement, efficient chemical defence and relatively large size would provide H. axyridis with a significant reproductive advantage over many native British species. Majerus et al. (2006)

One winner, one thousand losers

Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition

Majerus, M.E.N., Strawson, V. and Roy, H.E. (2006) The potential impacts of the arrival of the Harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), in Britain. Ecological Entomology, 31, 207-215. .

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Harmonia axyridis as an intra-guild predator

Spread of H. axyridis in Belgium and Britain

14-spot, Propylea 14-punctata Bev Wigney

http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/

Methods
a well recorded one Km grid cell
more than two species have been recorded within it for three or more years across the time period

Declines in native ladybirds

Mixed-effect models

Population data

Rapid and dramatic declines

Rapid, dramatic and ongoing declines in the distribution of formerly common and widespread native ladybirds in Belgium and Britain following the arrival of Harmonia axyridis Five (Belgium) and seven (Britain) of eight species studied show substantial declines attributable to the arrival of H. axyridis Trends in ladybird abundance revealed similar patterns of declines across three countries Rapid biotic homogenisation at large-scale could impact on the resilience of ecosystems and severely diminish the services they deliver

Britain Species Harmonia axyridis Adalia bipunctata Total individuals (all native species) Number of native species 16 Decreasing 12 n 1 824 931 10 793 Trend Increasing Decreasing Decreasing n 2 651 689 1 711

Belgium Trend Increasing Decreasing Decreasing n

Switzerland Trend 1 344 293 1 376 Increasing Decreasing Decreasing

Decreasing

18

Decreasing

Roy, H.E., Adriaens, T., Isaac, N.J.B., Kenis, M., Onkelinx, T., San Martin, G., Brown, P.M.J., Hautier, L., Poland, R.L., Roy, D.B., Comont, R., Eschen, R., Frost, R., Zindel, R., Van Vlaenderen, J., Nedvd, O., Ravn, H.P., Grgoire, JC., de Biseau, J-C. and Maes, D. (2012) Invasive alien predator causes rapid declines of native European ladybirds. Diversity and Distributions DOI: 10.1111/j.1472-4642.2012.00883.x

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Biotic homogenisation in the words of Mike

I have an unnerving nagging at the back of my mind that faunal and floral homogenisation is among the most detrimental of the ways in which humanity is affecting the Earth. This risk of homogenisation is, as yet, recognised by few. However, the evidence of habitat homogenisation is obvious. The dominant species associated with these homogeneous habitats tend to be the same over large geographic areas. More often than not they are generalists. Majerus, 1994

Its been a wonderful life

Mike Majerus and all those he has inspired and continues to inspire around the world