Asian Lady Beetles are one species of a very large family of beetles known as Coccinellidae, which many people refer to as “ladybugs.” Multicolored Asian Lady beetles are common throughout most of the United States and parts of Canada. There are many species, and most are beneficial insects. Plant specialists imported several species of lady beetles into the United States to control crop pests. Asian Lady beetles are true beetles in the beetle family. While they are commonly called ladybugs or ladybirds, pest management professionals generally prefer to call them ladybug beetles or ladybird beetles.
Asian Lady Beetles congregate on the sunny south and west walls of buildings in early autumn, attracted to the warmth. They crawl into cracks and crevices on the outside of buildings and stay there for the winter out of the colder elements. On warm days, they wake up and emerge to bask in the sun.
Originally introduced to North American from Asia in the early 1900s, these insects were used to control aphids and scale insects on plants and crops. They do a great job at controlling those plant pests, but have now become pests themselves as they invade homes each year when crops are harvested. If you need professional assistance with Asian Lady beetle control, from your home, do not hesitate to contact Ready Pest Control today.
Outdoors, Asian Lady beetles helpfully feed on plant pests like aphids and many others. From September to November, they move indoors to overwinter, crawling along windows and walls. Small cracks around windows and door frames provide entry points. While indoors, the pests search for moisture or humidity and bask in warm portions of the building when possible. Houses near woods or fields are prone to infestation, although any building can attract the pests. Contrasting shades of light and dark, like blacks against a white background also attract Asian Lady beetles.
These beetles are nuisances simply because of their large numbers. Few natural enemies exist to thin their numbers, and multiple generations of the pest are born per year. The pests also carry an unpleasant odor that grows more intense when they are smashed. Crushed Asian Lady beetles leave behind a yellowish fluid that can stain walls and clothing. These factors make infestations hard to control.
It depends on the Asian Lady beetle species. Some species are predacious on other insects, which benefits plants, and others are plant feeders that typically damage agricultural crop plants. Identifying plant feeding lady beetles is simplified if a specimen is collected in the process of feeding and the person who identifies the insect knows what kind of plant the beetle was feeding on when it was captured.
The most troubling sign of multicolored Asian Lady beetles is the appearance of large numbers of adults on and around buildings. This occurs during the fall with renewed activity on warm winter days and again in the spring. The larvae may be seen on plants or outdoor surfaces, but due to their radically different appearance from the adults, may not be recognized.
If you are looking for quality pest control solutions for your home or business, Ready Pest Control is the call to make. Let us put our years of experience and quality customer service to work for you. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with Asian Lady beetle control.
