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Have You Been Seeing Multi-colored Beetles?

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Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetles I am sure that many people have noticed Lady Bugs or Lady Beetles flying around the house during the winter, especially soon after a frost occurs. You are not alone as they have been active all summer throughout the US. If you have seen these beetles in your home during winter then you are most likely seeing Multi-colored Asian Lady Beetles. As the cold seasons approaches take the time to protect your home. The best way to control the beetles’ entry into a home is through prevention. 

Asian Lady Beetle Appearance

  • Beetles range in color from yellow to red and vary in the number of spots that occur on the wings.
  • Their color indicates their eating habits.
    • If the beetles are red, then they ate mostly aphids during the season. If they are orange and yellow, they fed on more pollen during the season.
  • The number of spots they have relates directly to air temperature during development.
This non-native beetle was originally introduced to control aphid populations, which is their favorite food source. Aphids are tiny sucking insects that can cause aesthetic damage to many plants and can also be responsible for the introduction of plant diseases. With increases in populations over the years, this beetle has turned into a real nuisance by invading homes in the fall. Some people state that the Lady Beetles will bite, but it is only mildly irritating. When they land on a person, they are going to “sample” the possible meal and will grab ahold of you with their mandibles or jaws. A person does not taste as good as an aphid, so they will quickly fly away and search for a more suitable food source. Beetles tend to be attracted to older homes and those with light-colored siding and can enter through an opening as small as a 1/8 of an inch.

3 Preventative Tips

  1. Seal openings where pipes enter your home, such as gas meters, faucets, and dryer vents.
  2. Caulk around doors, windows and chimneys and seal any cracks.
  3. Apply a perimeter insect control around the base of your home including under decks and along thresholds.
Lady beetles can fly, so they may still get into the house, but the fewer openings there are, the less the chance for them to enter your home. As far as the ones that do get indoors, a vacuum cleaner is the best control method as indoor insect control products are not very effective. Spring-Green offers a Perimeter Pest Control program, in most states. Contact your local lawn care professional to inquire about keeping the outside pests outside.