Ladybug Infestation

'Tis the season! Ladybugs are looking for a place to hibernate. They are attracted to light colored homes, usually older homes and they are attracted to heat that the homes reflect. Once ladybugs have penetrated the home though, they are hard to get rid of.
Ladybugs release pheromones, it is sort of like "perfume" to attract other ladybugs. They use pheromones as a means of communication during mating and hibernation. Insect pheromones are very powerful. They can be detected by others up to a 1/4 mile away. This helps ladybugs find each other and it lets future generations know of a good place to "camp out" for the winter. The pheromones don't go away easily. The chemical "scent" can remain year after year, and not only on the outside of a structure, but also within the walls, where ladybugs tend to hide before emerging into your home. So, scrubbing pheromones off a house is a BIG task, if not impossible.
The yellow stuff you might see from time to time is their blood (hemolymph). It, too, contains pheromones and it stains. You can see the yellow blood when you hold a ladybug and it gets scared. This is a normal reaction to stressful situations called reflex bleeding. Releasing some of its blood is one way the ladybug can protect itself. The blood smells bad and signals to a predator that this ladybug is not a good lunch choice.
To prevent ladybugs from getting in, make sure all cracks around windows, doors, clap boards, pipes, ect. are sealed up. Some extermination companies offer this service, sometimes called inclusion. This, too, is no small project, and may cost a small fortune, but it's worth it. Especially if you don't like ladybugs joining you for dinner.

Q. Why do ladybugs come into my house in the winter time?

A. Ladybugs are attracted to the light colored houses. Especially, homes that have a clear southwestern sun exposure. Older homes tend to experience more problem with aggregations due to lack of adequate insulation. The ladybugs come in through small cracks around windows, door ways and under clap boards. They want to hibernate in a warm, comfortable spot over the cold months of winter. Ladybugs gather in groups when they hibernate, so if you see one, you can be sure more will follow. The best way to keep them out is to repair damaged clap boards, window and door trim and to caulk small cracks.

Q. Once the ladybugs are in my house, will they eat anything?

A. No. Ladybugs don't eat fabric, plants, paper or any other household items. They like to eat APHIDS. Aphids are very small, but very destructive pest that feed on plants. (If you have rose bushes, you have probably seen aphids.) Ladybugs, while trying to hibernate in your house, live off of their own body fats.

Q. Why do the ladybugs come into my house and die?

A.They require a little humidity. But our homes are usually not very humid during the winter. In fact, they are rather dry causing most of your ladybug guests to die from dehydration. Occasionally, you might witness a ladybug getting a drink of water or even drinking some other liquid.

For a tip on getting rid of your unwelcome guests, Read the Q&A Page before hiring someone. Have you already read this page? Than, follow the links below for more information.

We have been working hard to find a solution to your overwhelming population of ladybugs that invade your homes each Fall.
The following is an exert from THE MULTICOLORED ASIAN LADY BEETLE (HARMONIA AXYRIDIS) AS A NUISANCE PEST IN HOUSEHOLDS THROUGHOUT OHIO
The survey reports: A method employed by some homeowners was to apply a pesticide on the interior of the home, usually around the windows and doors. Most of these chemicals were applied by the homeowner who commonly used permethrin. The professionally applied chemicals included chlorpyrifos and chlorpyrifos with permethrin. All of the homeowners who applied pesticides to the interior of their home also applied them to the exterior. And all of these people found this combination of treatments to be successful.

The Ladybug Lady® doesn't endorse, support or otherwise make recommendations for the use of pesticides. Please check with your local Cooperative Extensive Agent about pesticides permitted in your area.
The Links are provided as support and assistance for you.

Research is being conducted for a ladybug repellent.

According to the article "Potential for Modifying the Behavior of the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) with Plant-Derived Natural Products" published in the Annals of the Entomological Society of America Vol. 93, No.6 (Nov. 2000) : p 1314-1321, research is underway for the development of a natural product that repels the invasive Asian Lady Beetle from buildings inhabited by humans. Two substances currently under study are camphor and menthol. Both of which are showing effectiveness at repelling this insect when applied to exterior crevices in which the beetles were entering. "Research is continuing to develop a protocol for repelling nuisance beetle aggregations and conserving the beetles for biological control applications."

The Ladybug Lady® has the primary focus of educating the public, especially children about the benefits of ladybugs in the environment. To learn more about ladybugs, visit the Ladybug Lady at the following links.