How to identify and treat ladybugs

Ladybugs are cute to find out in your garden or yard, doing their best to keep plant-sucking insects away from your favorite plants. But when those adorable little ladybugs start piling into your home, an all-out war has begun to get rid of them!

Ladybugs, or ladybird beetles, eat aphids and scales in gardens and orchards. However, when the weather gets cooler, thousands of them can congregate on or in your home, looking for shelter for the winter.

While there are over 500 species of ladybug in the US, it’s the invasive multicolored Asian lady beetle that causes the biggest annoyance. These beetles like to congregate in groups during winter, but they can’t handle the high temperatures that we keep our homes at when it gets cold. That’s why you’ll find lots of dead beetles on window sills or near doors.

Ladybugs will accidentally enter attics, wall voids, underneath siding, or in cracks and gaps in your home. One of the most offensive behaviors is the defense chemical they emit when disturbed. This yellow-orange body fluid is released from their leg joints, smells bad, and can stain walls and flooring.

Ladybugs are known for their domed bodies and orange-to-red colors. They can be dotted with black spots on their back or have none at all. To tell the difference between a native ladybug and the multicolored Asian lady beetle, look for the white shell that covers their head with a black marking that looks like an “M”. Native ladybugs won’t have that shape.

If you start seeing more and more ladybugs in your home, it’s probably a sign that more will come and that you need to take action to prevent them from getting inside.

How big are ladybugs?

Ladybugs are about ¼ inch long. The multicolored Asian lady beetles are a bit bigger.

What other pest looks like a ladybug?

Native ladybugs and the invasive multicolored Asian lady beetle are often confused with each other. The non-native beetle can be identified by the 'M'-shaped marking behind their heads and their tendency to invade homes in large numbers.

Ladybugs are typically a threat to homeowners, but sometimes, they will congregate in large numbers in or on your home. The best way to keep them out is to prevent them from getting in. This can be done by sealing any entry points, including cracks, gaps, or holes in windows, siding, or doors.

Additionally, if you happen to see lots of ladybugs in your home, don’t crush them! Vacuum them up instead. You can also put a piece of cloth or pantyhose over the nozzle of the hose and collect them that way to ensure you don’t smash them in the vacuum.

You may also consider using an insect barrier in and around your home. Pestie offers a pro-grade DIY solution that takes only minutes to apply. Plus, a new bag is delivered to your home when you need to reapply. This insect barrier can repel ladybugs from entering your home and causing a mess.

Ladybugs are found all across the United States. They thrive in gardens, forests, and grassy areas. Look for them near windows, light fixtures, or warm, sunny sides of homes in the fall and winter.