[2] It is native to eastern Asia, but has been artificially introduced to North America and Europe to control aphids and scale insects.

This species is conspicuous in North America, where it may locally be known as the Halloween beetle, as it often invades homes during October to overwinter.

[3] When the species first arrived in the UK, it was labelled in jest as the "many-named ladybird" due to the great quantity of vernacular names.

[4] Harmonia axyridis is a typical coccinellid beetle in shape and structure, being domed and having a "smooth" transition between its elytra (wing coverings), pronotum, and head.

The common color form, f. "succinea", is orange or red in colouration with 0–22 black spots of variable size.

Harmonia axyridis is native to eastern Asia from central Siberia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan in the west, through Russia south to the Himalayas and east to the Pacific coast and Japan, including Korea, Mongolia, China, and Taiwan.

The species is now established in North America (United States, Canada, Mexico), Central America (Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama), South America (Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Chile), Europe (Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland), Israel, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Reportedly, it has heavily fed on soybean aphids (which recently appeared in the US after coming from China), supposedly saving farmers vast sums of money in 2001.

[10] In Europe it is currently increasing to the detriment of indigenous species,[10] its voracious appetite enabling it to outcompete and even consume other ladybirds.

Because the beetles will use crevices and other cool, dry, confined spaces to overwinter, significant numbers may congregate inside walls if given a large enough opening.

Non-volatile long-chain hydrocarbons laid down by previous aggregations also play a significant role in site selection.

The liquid has a foul odour (similar to that of dead leaves), a bitter taste, and can stain porous materials.

Numerous methods of control have been investigated in areas where this beetle has been introduced and causes a threat to native species and biodiversity and to the grape industry.

Methods of control include insecticides, trapping, removal of aggregates of beetles, and mechanically preventing entry to buildings.

[23] Sweeping and vacuuming are considered effective methods for removing them from homes, though this should be done carefully so as not to trigger reflex bleeding.