Outdoor Insects Will Soon Begin Moving Indoors...
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Although much of the country enjoyed summer like weather well into October, it is going to get cold and it is going to happen sooner than we may think... Where I live in northern Illinois, we had some light frost one week and then temperatures in the 80’s 4 days later. I guess you can blame it on global warming, but enjoying summer time temperatures in the middle of October is a blessing.
As the temperatures drop, insects that have been living outside are going to creep into our homes.
These insects do this by squeezing through some of the tiniest cracks and openings around windows, doors, dryer vents and exhaust fans. They will be coming in to escape the cold weather at night and may creep back outside during the day. In many cases, you will not even know that they are inside, except for ones that can congregate in large numbers, like multi-colored Asian lady beetles.
Asian Lady Beetle: everything you need to know!
These beetles were introduced into the south to feed on aphids on pecan trees. Since their release, they have spread across the entire US. They are very efficient as a predator of aphids and scale insects that damage many plant species. Occasionally, they will feed on fruit, like ripening peaches, apples and grapes. The Multi-Colored Asian Lady Beetle is identified from other lady beetle species by two white, oval markings located behind their head. As their name implies, they can range in color from yellow to deep orange. In most cases, they have about 19 black spots on their wing covers, but that number can vary. The adults can live up to three years. During the summer, the female lays yellow eggs on the undersides of leaves that hatch into larvae that look like tiny alligators. These larvae feed on soft-bodies insects like aphids. After pupating, the adults will continue feeding on aphids. They can have multiple generations every year.
The adults search for openings into homes through any hole, crack or crevice. When they find a suitable opening, they release a pheromone that is a signal to other multi-colored Asian lady beetles to follow them into the house or other structure.
The adults have been known to inflict a painful bite, but they are not like a mosquito and do not inject any substance into a person’s body. Basically what they are doing is taking a sample bite to see if the person is a suitable meal. Fortunately, they do not breed indoors and are only coming indoors looking for a place to hide for the winter.
Before it gets too cold, seal any openings around doors and windows or any other crevice around the house. It is also a good idea to apply a perimeter insect control barrier around the outside of your house to control these home invaders as they move back and forth into a house or other structure.
Contact your neighborhood lawn care professional at Spring-Green for more information on our Perimeter Pest Control Program to reduce the movement of nuisance insects in to your home.