Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle: Not So Ladylike
December 31st, 2009 Posted in Beetles & Ladybugs
It’s fall again. Leaves are turning color, pumpkins are being picked, Halloween costumes are being made, and ladybugs are infesting homes. Also called Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles, ladybugs are notorious for infesting homes as soon as the weather turns crisp.
They may be cute in children’s books and movies, but these little beetles can quickly become a hassle in your home.
This article will explore:
Identifying Ladybugs
Ladybugs, or Harmonia axyridis, are a form of Asian beetle that are dome shaped. They’re about 1/3 inch in length and range from light red to a deep orange, the most common color for ladybugs. Most ladybugs have 19 black spots splashed intermittently across their backs. They are outdoor insects that tend to wander into your home in late fall and early winter to avoid the harsher weather.
Ladybugs fly toward bright, sunny places in late fall. Bright colored walls that are exposed to sun attract ladybugs, which is why they often end up in your home. They attach themselves to the bright, outer walls and then find their way into the warm embrace of your heated home.
Compared to other household pests, ladybugs are pretty benign. They don’t sting, attack furniture or the house structure, reproduce indoors, or carry diseases. So they are very pretty and non-threatening, right? Why get rid of them?
Well, they will carpet your house with their little flying bodies. Not so nice to sit down to dinner and have ladybugs swarming around your dining room. And they do leave a distinct slime and odor when squashed, which isn’t so ladylike.
Benefits Of Ladybugs
Ladybugs do have some really great benefits, at least when they stay outdoors. Ladybugs are a natural way to control other pests like aphids and other soft bodied insects that eat plants. They are a great way to control aphid problems in gardens without using harmful insecticides.
Even large scale pecan farmers have begun to use ladybugs as a natural way to eliminate harmful pests. But ladybugs can quickly become a nuisance when they enter your home. This is when you’ll want to implement methods to control them.
Ways To Control Ladybugs
When controlling ladybugs, prevention is key. Sealing gaps around windows, doors, and siding will help keep ladybugs out. This method is never 100% effective, however, so be sure to move on to the next method.
Spray an insecticide around the outside of your home to help prevent ladybugs from entering. If they are already in your home, use the hose extension on a vacuum to suck them up. Insecticides aren’t very useful inside. You can also purchase traps to place inside.
Finally, planting trees that will shade the south and west sides of the house can go a long way in preventing ladybug infestations, because ladybugs are attracted to light. By creating shade on your home’s walls, you are far less likely to experience a ladybug infestation.
Why Go Organic?
You will have many options when choosing an insecticide. You can pick pyrethroid based insecticide, which will be effective but can also cause major damage to the environment and may be harmful top your kids and pets.
EcoSMART Flying Insect Killer will get rid of ladybugs and is safe around pets and kids, too. It’s an organic insecticide made from plant oils, so it will get rid of your ladybug problem but won’t harm the environment. Why not choose an insecticide that’s safe as well as effective?
9 Comments | The First 1,000 to Comment (Starting 12/21/2009) Will Become EcoSMART Product Testers!
By Paula Rainwater on Mar 12, 2010
I would love to try your product! I’ve been looking for a way to stop the invasion. We have been having this problem every spring and fall now for years. Traps take care of only a small percentage of the problem. Bay leaves on every window sill doesn’t fit my decor and our old farm house with its limestone foundation has gaps and cracks in places we are not aware of. We are however thinking of taking the extreme measure of repainting our house in a darker color. Help!
By Nicholas Horne on Mar 17, 2010
I would be interested in trying out a non-toxic option to rid my house of the ladybug infestation. As the weather has grown warmer, more and more have found their way into my house, where they fly around my light fixtures. When I wake up in the morning, I sometimes find 10-20 dead ladybug carcasses on the floor in my office. My vacuum cleaner is getting a workout, but there must be a better option!
By Karen Missell on Mar 21, 2010
My Mother is so tired of the asian ladybugs in her home that she is ready to call an exterminator. I begged her to give me a chance to find some other way to control them. I’m worried about my 21 month old daughter going over there (as well as the rest of the grandchildren)with the exterminator’s chemicals throughout the house.
By EcoSMART Megan on Mar 22, 2010
Dear Karen Missell,
If your mother still insists on calling an exterminator, there are some that use organic commercial products.
EcoSMART partners with some companies that provide organic professional services. Try suggesting this to your mother!
By LEANNA PETTY on Mar 24, 2010
My house is full of these bugs. I would like to try any thing that works. These bugs are driving me nut.
By Debra Bullard on Mar 30, 2010
HELP!! Just had surgery and as the weather i s warming up–these asian beetles are everywhere!! Been using the vacumn like crazy but hard to due since my recent surgery. They are driving me nuts!! Do NOT want to use harmful chemicals in my house so your product sounds perfect!
By CHRIS on Mar 31, 2010
This product is just what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of vacuumming up asian beetles day and night. I have dogs and cats and have been worried about using pesticides because of their residual life.
By Mary on Apr 2, 2010
These things have taken over my front porch and are about to take over my upstairs. I’m afraid they are going to start bothering my childern when they sleep or the kids will start eating them. The stupid bettles are driving me nuts no matter how much I vacuum them up they just keep coming.
By Dawn Robinson on Oct 7, 2010
I would love to try this product. I really try to avoid chemicals at all cost. There has to be something safe that works. We have indoor cats that I want to keep safe and healthy as well as ourselves