The Asian Lady Beetle, or more commonly known as the “Ladybug” is one of the largest in the family of beetles and is widespread throughout North America and Canada. Asian lady beetles can prove to be somewhat of a pest problem during the winter months. A-Tex Pest Management would like to talk about this beetle and tell you how you can prevent them from infesting your home this winter.
What Does a Ladybug Look Like & What Do They Eat?
The multicolored Asian Lady Beetle grows about 1/4 inch long and is most commonly seen as orange with black spots. However, their color can vary from yellow, orange and red with a range of black spots on their shell. They have a distinct “M” shape marking on their head. Most people believe that the color variation means they are a different species of beetle but that may not be the case. There are many species of Asian lady beetle in North America and Canada and are considered a beneficial insect. The Asian lady beetle is a predatory insect that as adults eat many pests that infect gardens and yards. Aphids and mealybugs along with scale insects are at the top of the Ladybugs menu. By eating these other pests, many homeowners will intentionally buy ladybugs just to help their yard and gardens thrive. Asian ladybugs also bite humans. According to University of Texas entomologist Dr. Alex Wild, “They have a habit of tasting things they land on”. Unfortunately, as the weather cools down, Asian lady beetles will begin looking for warmer places to hibernate for the winter. Homes become an ideal place for ladybugs to bunk for the winter. Often attic spaces become the perfect refuge. As the weather warms up the ladybugs will become active again.
Signs of Ladybug Infestations
Your first clue that you might be experiencing a ladybug infestation is to see a large cluster of Asian lady beetles around homes and the sides of other buildings. Especially those lighter colored homes seem to draw ladybugs in. Ladybugs will often find cracks either through doors, windows, and even vents to gain entry to your home. Other than the overwhelming numbers that this beetle will gather inside a home, they really don’t cause any damage or harm to people or their homes. Even so, they may crawl around the home which isn’t pleasing to most people.
Asian Lady Beetle Prevention
It is best not to kill these beneficial insects, but rather prevent them from entering your home. Your first step to ladybug prevention is to seal up all the cracks outside of your home. This is a good idea for preventing any pest. Check all the entrances in your home to see if they reveal any cracks. If so, seal them with caulking glue, or better yet, use weather stripping. Vents and chimneys can be sealed with fine mesh wiring. Window screens should be repaired or replaced if needed. If any ladybugs do find their way into your home, remove them. Ladybugs do not bite or harm people. If you are not squeamish, you can pick them up and take them outside without the need to harm them. Or you can use a bagless vacuum cleaner to suck them up and release them back outside. You can use light traps away from your house to keep them away if you have a large population of ladybugs at the end of summer. If you find you don’t want to deal with them yourself, contacting a local pest management service will be your ideal solution.
Asian Lady Beetle AKA Ladybug Infestation Inspection & Control in Austin, Round Rock, Leander, Pflugerville & Cedar Park, Texas
Asian lady beetles are a great and beneficial insect. They keep many of the other pests out of our yards and gardens, and truly they don’t pose a big problem. However, a massive number of ladybugs in our homes just don’t work either. If you have found an infestation of ladybugs don’t panic. Call A-Tex Pest Management and we will be there to help you rid your home of any unwanted guests.