A total of 18 microsatellite DNA loci were isolated and characterized from the harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). We optimized a multiplex panel consisting of two polymerase chain reactions, allowing the genotyping of all loci. The number of alleles and heterozygosity observed at each locus ranged from 1 to 12 and from 0 to 100%, respectively. After Bonferroni correction for multiple tests, none of the loci deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and there was no indication of significant linkage disequilibrium among pairs of loci. Successful cross-species amplification was obtained for only three of the seven tested species of Coccinellidae