Invasion of the Lady Beetles 

Compiled by Wendi Hartup
Area Natural Resources Extension Agent
Forsyth and Stokes County Cooperative Extension

It’s that time of year when all types of creatures begin to seek shelter; sometimes in our homes. Not all of these creatures are interested in harming our building structure; they’re just looking shelter to over winter. One of those creatures is a certain species of lady beetle.

Most people know that lady beetles, also called ladybugs, eat aphids. Aphids and other soft-bodied insects feed on plants from our landscapes, meadows, a variety of trees and even field crops. In the early 1900s and again in the 1960s-1980s Asian multi-colored lady beetles were imported and released to help control tree-feeding aphids. The reasoning behind this was native lady beetles were not as effective in controlling tree-feeding aphids because so many of our ornamental and fruit trees were from other areas of the world. Now the Asian lady beetle thrives in many parts of North America. During spring and summer, each Asian multi-colored lady beetle will consume over 300 aphids per day of more than 50 species of aphids. This greatly reduces the need for pesticide use and has benefited the pecan industry by nearly eliminating pecan aphids.

As the weather turns cooler these insects, like the rest of us, want cover from the elements. Native lady beetles seek shelter mid-Autumn in leaf litter, mulch or around the roots of forest plants. In its home country, the Asian ladybug gathers in large groups to hibernate in cracks and crevices within cliff faces. Here in the southeast, we do not have as many cliffs, so they seek shelter in nooks and crannies of buildings. So each fall until early spring, lady beetles often become a pest in and around homes.

One characteristic of the Asian multi-colored ladybug is the whitish area with an m-shaped marking behind the head.

The Asian lady beetle is usually attracted to sunny sides of south and southwest-facing buildings or on light-colored structures that are painted white, gray or yellow. At night, similar to most insects, they are attracted to light. They may cluster against a structure and find a nook or cranny to enter into wall spaces. Many scientists believe they can become disoriented; the beetles believing spring has arrived during warm days of late winter can invade a living space as they are looking for an outlet. This phenomenon could also be due to the warm interior temperatures or lighting. What you should know about these beneficial insects is that they are not interested in eating your walls, furniture, carpet or human food and they do not lay eggs in homes.

How can we prevent lady beetles from entering our homes? We can seal cracks and crevices, replace old weather-stripping around windows, and install insect screening over attic vents. All these things can help reduce pest entry and save energy costs. For large infestations with intolerable numbers of beetles, contact a pest control company to spray the outside of buildings when the beetles appear. Long-term relief may come from planting trees that will shade the southern sides of the house.

If they do get inside, avoid trying to pick up or squash them. They have a reflexive behavior where they secrete an orange substance; actually it is their blood and can stain walls or fabric. It is better to sweep them up with a soft-bristled brush or vacuum them.

If you do want to vacuum them, you can place a pair of pantyhose into the vacuum hose and secure with a rubber band before adding the hose attachment. Then you can toss your beetle-filled stocking into the garbage or transfer to a container you keep cool (like in the fridge or under the porch), so you can release them this spring into your yard.