Overwinter pests are a common concern for many homeowners in NEPA as the temperatures rise and pest season rears its ugly head again.
Some of the most common overwinter pests in the area include boxelder bugs, stink bugs, ants, cockroaches, and ladybugs, the latter of which is considered fairly innocuous and symbolic.
However, ladybugs are often mistaken for their nasty doppelgangers, the Asian Lady Beetle–also known as the Halloween Beetle! This pest can wreak havoc on gardens and soon become an uncomfortable infestation if not properly reigned in.
With over 5,000 species of ladybugs worldwide, it can be easy to mistake this docile garden resident for another species that can be much more troublesome.
If you have a problem with ladybugs in your home, here are a few things you should know about getting rid of ladybugs and why you should.
The Trouble with Ladybugs and Asian Lady Beetles
The ladybug, also known as the lady beetle or ladybird beetle, is often confused with an invasive species in NEPA called the Asian lady beetle. Ladybugs are helpful garden pest exterminators that tend to be more docile insects. They prefer to stay outside when the temperatures drop.
Asian lady beetles, on the other hand, overwinter bugs. While they perform the same function as a typical ladybug, these insects tend to be a bit more aggressive, sometimes going so far as to bite people.
As overwinter pests, the Asian lady beetle hides out when temperatures drop and reemerges in the Spring. It tends to accumulate on windows, lights, and other areas with warmth and light.
They can also release an odor with an awful chemical scent that can linger for as long as a year. Other Asian lady beetles will be drawn to these pheromones, which means they will return to your home the following year.
Thankfully, they don’t carry diseases, and they won’t cause structural damage. However, they can leave yellow streaks wherever they land. While one or two may not be a problem, lady beetles usually hatch in large numbers.
How to Distinguish Between Ladybugs and Lady Beetles
Ladybugs are harmless and helpful, but Asian lady beetles are less beneficial. They both consume garden pests like aphids and don’t congregate in large numbers, but the Asian lady beetles seek shelter outdoors.
The Asian lady beetle came over in the 1970s. They are brownish-orange in color, not the vivid red like ladybugs. They are bigger and can be identified by the white M on their heads.
Lady beetles also let off a strong scent to alert other beetles of danger. This pest multiplies quickly and often leaves behind yellow stains. Where normal ladybugs die off in the fall, Asian lady beetles hibernate.
These beetles will enter buildings in the spring or as winter approaches. Once inside, they’ll amass in dark, warm, secluded places.
Overall, there is no alarming cause for concern. However, these pests can be cumbersome and even bite you and your pests. If you’re tired of dealing with stinky Lady Asian Beetles and ladybugs, then you need to know how to get rid of them.
12 Tips to Get Rid of Ladybugs and Lady Beetles On Your Property
While ladybugs may be innocuous critters, preventing them and any similar beetle from entering your house is important to avoid an infestation. Here are some tips to get rid of ladybugs and Asian Lady Beetles.
1. Act Immediately
Sometimes, even with all the prep, you can find yourself face-to-face with a lady beetle infestation. The best course of action is to act quickly once you notice them. Asian beetles multiply quickly. Your infestation can easily go from manageable to overwhelming. Don’t wait for it.
2. Winterize your home
The best way to stop an Asian beetle infestation, as well as many other pest issues, is to winterize your home. Don’t give them a way in. Plug up holes, seal doors, and caulk your windows. Inspect your home’s exterior and interior to make sure there is no way for them to get in. If they can’t find a way inside, there’s no need to worry about an infestation.
3. Check Screens
Likewise, with any door frames, cracks, or other openings, check the screens around your home. Ladybugs can easily fly through a window screen and make their way inside. Repair any screens that may have been damaged throughout the year.
4. Keep Your Yard Trim
Lady beetles are drawn to overgrown areas. It’s a good idea to keep your yard and garden trimmed. Any wood should be stored at least 20 feet from the house, and plants should be maintained.
5. Turn Lights off at Night
Like many insects, lady beetles are drawn to light. While you can’t exactly turn off the sun, the next best thing would be turning off your outside lights at night. If you need to have a light on, make sure it’s a motion-sensor light. Also, use a bulb that won’t give off too much heat.
6. Keep A Garden
A simple way to keep them outside is to provide ladybugs with a place to feast. Give them an alternative to your home by planting a garden.
Ladybugs and Asian beetles both love feeding on garden pests, like aphids. It doesn’t matter if you are planting edible treats for your family or lovely flowers; having flora around your home can be enticing enough to keep these insects out.
If you don’t want lady beetles anywhere near your home or garden, or you don’t want to go through the effort of planting an entire garden, try planting or potting some mums. Lady beetles do not like mums and will avoid them.
If you want to ward these pests away, keep plants just outside the house at entry points: the doors, the windowsills, or even make a window box. Mums are a simple, inexpensive way to keep the lady beetles away.
7. Make a Light Trap
If you want to get rid of lady beetles, use their attraction to light as a defense against them. You can construct or use a light trap to gather these pests and remove them from your home. This guide provides a simple tutorial on how to construct a light trap using common household goods.
8. Vacuum Them Up!
A quick and easy way to dispose of Asian beetles is to vacuum them up. This method will not kill the pests, but it will make it easier to transfer them out of your home.
Before sucking them up, be sure they are going into a sealed container, whether it’s a vacuum bag or a closed container. After you have sucked them all up, you can seal the bag, take them outside, or dispose of them.
9. Diatomaceous Earth
If you want to kill the Asian beetles and a few other pests like stink bugs, you can use diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is a powdery substance that is made of fossilized remains of algae and abrasive properties.
Basically, this substance dehydrates insects to death. This substance is non-toxic to humans and pets, but it is very effective at killing many different pests.
10. Remove The Scent
If you don’t want to kill your little invaders, you can try to ward them away by removing their scent from your home. Asian lady beetles have a distinct odor. Try to hide it with citronella or citrus oil. These scents act as a repellent for lady beetles; if they can’t smell their home, they will look elsewhere.
11. Try Cloves Or Bay Leaves
If you want to get to work at repelling these annoying little pests but don’t have any of the items listed above, look no further than your spice cabinet. Cloves or bay leaves are two spices that Asian beetles can’t stand. Place these spices near windows and other infested areas to shoo away your ladybug infestation.
12. Spray Them
Asian lady beetles are found in large numbers. A good way to get a bunch of them all at once is to spray them with a spray bottle.
Fill your bottle with citronella or soapy water. This will not only deter and possibly kill quite a few of these insects, but the scent will keep them from coming back. It’s a simple and quick way to eliminate these unwanted pests.
Keeping Pests Out for Good
In the long run, Asian lady beetles are more annoying than harmful. That doesn’t mean they belong in your home. They stink, they can bite, and they multiply like crazy.
If you want to get rid of your infestation and you’ve exhausted all these methods, consider reaching out to a pest control expert. Our residential pest control plans are designed to create a barrier that prevents and eliminates dozens of common pests in Northeast PA, including common beetles and ladybugs. Don’t wait; reach out to us before they make their way into your home this coming winter.
FAQs
Why are there so many ladybugs in my house?
Ladybugs may enter your house seeking warmth and shelter, especially in the fall when temperatures drop.
Are there any natural repellents for ladybugs?
Citrus-scented cleaners or sprays made from diluted vinegar can help deter ladybugs from entering your home.
When is the best time to take action against ladybugs?
Early fall is ideal for sealing entry points and taking preventive measures before ladybugs seek shelter indoors.