What are these Insects?
Alright, does anyone have these little insects crawling around their home right now? I do, I took the picture below earlier today.
One might think that these are cute little ladybugs, but with a closer look, they will see that they are actually Asian lady beetles.
Asian lady beetles are quite different then ladybugs and can quickly invade a home if they are not dealt with quickly.
How Can I tell if these are ladybugs or lady beetles?
Here are a few signs that you actually have Asian lady beetles instead of ladybugs.
The color of the lady beetles shell is a brownish orange and younger ones can be a bit red in color. They are usually not the vivid red color of a ladybug.- Lady beetles have a scent, and smell. When they fear danger, they let off this strong scent to warn other lady beetles that danger is near.
- Lady beetles multiply quickly. If you notice several quickly appearing in your home, it is most likely lady beetles.
- Lady beetles hibernate in the winter usually in the walls of homes. In very early spring (still very cold outside, in my case below freezing), they start to wake up and make their way indoors to stay alive.
- Ladybugs die off in the fall and lady beetles hibernate. If it is still really cold outside (Below 50ºF) and you are seeing insects that look like ladybugs, you most likely have lady beetles and not ladybugs in the home.
These are just a few ways to figure out which insect is in your home.
10 Ways To Get Rid of Ladybugs AKA Asian Lady Beetles
Getting rid of lady beetles can be somewhat challenging. Here are 10 natural ways to help you get rid of ladybugs AKA Asian lady beetles in your home.
1. Winterize Your Home – Lady beetles come in to the house most likely in the fall or even closer to winter. They then hibernate and when it starts to warm up in the spring they come out of hibernation and work their way into the homes to stay alive. In the fall, they will often find a place in the walls to sleep for the winter. By winterizing your home, be sure to seal your doors and windows. Caulk the windows, replace weather stripping if needed and make it hard for any creatures to essentially get into your home.
2. Act Fast – One of the most important things you can do when you notice these bugs in your home is to act fast. These bugs can quickly multiply! They are really good at communicating with one another with their scent and this quickly attracts more into your home. Act fast to get rid of them before the problem gets out of hand!
3. Choose A Dark Colored Home – Lady beetles are attracted to lightly painted homes. If you really have a problem, consider changing the paint on your home to a darker color. This will help keep them out of your home.
4. Start gardening – Lady beetles are great for your garden! They eat aphids, a little bug that can really harm your garden. Welcome lady beetles into your garden, they can really be beneficial!
5. Plant Mums – Lady beetles do not like mums. Be proactive and plant mums around the windows and around the entrance of the house. Did you know that mums are a key ingredient in flea powder as well. Protect your home from all kinds of insects with mums!
6. Vacuum Them Up – Using your attachment tools on your vacuum, vacuum up these lady beetles. Most of the lady beetles will survive being vacuumed up. If you have a garden, you can transfer them to your garden to help get rid of aphids. If you prefer to get rid of them all together, place the vacuum bag into a sealed plastic bag or you can burn the bag that they are in.
7. Use Diatomaceous Earth Powder – Diatomaceous Earth Powder can be spread around the base of your home. This will not only help prevent lady beetles from entering the home at ground level, but it will also help deter other creatures as well.
8. Remove The Lady Beetles Scent – This can be quite hard to do, as you often can not smell the scent unless the lady beetles senses danger. Lady beetles do not like citrus or citronella scents so use this scent liberally when wiping up after these bugs. Make a citrus spray with Wild Orange Essential Oil (You Can Buy It Here) diluted in some water. Spray liberally in areas you see the lady beetles in.
9. Use Cloves – Whole Cloves are another scent that lady beetles do not like. Place small bags of cloves in areas that are heavily infested. The smell will help in aiding these little insects to find a new home.
10. Use Bay Leaves – Whole Spice Bay Leaves, Whole can also be used to get rid of lady beetles. Lady beetles do not like the scent of bay leaves. Try making small pouches of bay leaves and cloves and place them around heavily infested areas.
With all of these tips, you will be on your way to get rid of ladybugs AKA Asian lady beetles forever! Got any tips for us? Feel free to leave them in the comment section below.
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I am more interested in getting rid of stinkbugs! They are infesting a lot of homes around here.
Wilton peppermint oil at Walmart small spray bottle 5 drops of oil fill rest the way with water! Spray window seals inside and out also doors inside and out! Gets rid of stink bugs!
I have both stink bugs and lady beetles Asian better. Most effective way to get rid of both. Thanks
I personally am trying what is called a hedge apple, sometimes called Osage oranges. They grow in south western Arkansas and the Osage Indians used them for an antibacterial medicine. They say it’s good for keeping spiders & crickets away. Hopefully will work on stink bugs & Asian beetles too
O.k. ladies, I have found the solution to rid your home of Asian beetles! Those lemon candles, etc. get expensive very fast. My Orkin exterminator couldn’t kill em & who has the time or hose long enough to reach a ceiling? After hours of research, I finally found what kills these pesky beetles & all other pests, including wasps! It’s called “Martin’s VIPER”! Buy the CONCENTRATE on the Internet, not the watered down version from Lowes. Spray outside door/window frames. I fired my exterminator after I found this stuff.
What is the website to ordering this product…I’m so tired of seeing these things in my house
Is it harmful to indoor pets?
I Have beetles all in my room of one bedroom…..How do I get rid of this things! Please help me!!
they are stinkbugs.
I stuff part of a nylon stocking down my vacuum cleaner hose and secure the ends around the outside of the hose with a rubber band. Once the beetles are sucked up they are contained in this little nylon pouch, which can be easily tied off and disposed of. Much easier than trying to deal with a whole vacuum cleaner bag.
Hi Esther, the bug season is upon us again! This vacuum attachment works pretty well – http://goo.gl/JKJ8eb Good luck!
Would Ground cloves work just as well as whole cloves would for getting rid of ladybugs. My fiance and I have them like infested in our house and we dont have much money so again would ground cloves work just as good??
Another sure fire way to rid your home of lady beatles is to throughly and completely burn the entire home to the ground feeding the fire as needed to keep the flames as hot as possible to prevent any of them little pests from getting out alive.
I TRIED TO GET RID OF THESE PESTS IN THIS MANNER. MY HOUSE DISAPPEARED BUT THE BUGS RAN OUTSIDE
I think you are correct, but first try “Scent Beads” brand lemon candle. It has helped immensely. This small candle is rather expensive for its’ size. We live in 70 yr old white wood home in southeast Arkansas. I have consulted with University of Arkansas top “bug” expert who, in his slow southern, nonchalant manner said, “Just vacuum em up. Throw out bag”! Yeah, right. OH! Yes, I DO have an exterminator. I am on quest for “scent beads” electric candle wax (lemon) burner as I type.
I am sure you found the candles, but for future readers, “Scent Beads” brand lemon candles are available at Walgreens. 🙂
Angela, Thank you for adding Walgreens. Yes. That is where I purchased the candle. I was desperate & would have paid anything!
Thank you! I tried this and it worked!
good idea though.lol
You are an idiot
We just went through a house fire and lost everything
It’s a joke – chill out. I’ve been in a fire too, but I still thought it was funny
did it get rid of your Asian beetles?
“Martin’s VIPER” WORKS!! Buy CONCENTRATE off Internet, not the diluted version from Lowes. It is ONLY thing that I have found that works. I fired my exterminator after discovering this. It is THAT good!
You did follow the dilution directions on the bottle though, right?
LOL I am about to that point!! They are driving me insane
Why are they out in the winter
I kill 3 and 10 more show up
Same here. They usually hibernate all winter. This year, they are driving us bonkers. And, I am convinced they are breeding somewhere because I get rid of all I see and more show up. I am going to try diffusing clove essential oil today and see if that works.
I have a butter yellow vinyl siding with white shutters and windows. I cannot afford to change my new exterior . I think these beetles are under my siding, and also through the roof vents, have filled my attic. A perfect place for them to multiply and hibernate. I have sprayed, vacuumed, flushed, winterized, used lemon simmering all and every day, have cloves and bay leaves along the window sills inside and wash all areas often with vinegar to wipe off the yellow cream that they spew. This has gone on for 3 years now and I was bit by one last fall and had a bad reaction.I have had it! They are foreign to North America and should NEVER have been brought into a country that has absolutely NO predators to control them.
I am so sick of this and I think I have developed an allergy to them too. Anyone want to join and help me with a class action law suit?
I would love to my beautiful home is infested and I will support you for sure this has gone to far I’ve spent countless dollars to rid this creature that I did not agree on or it’s existence. No one should have to deal with this and the government should pay to rid them of my home and pay dearly for the headaches and ongoing torment we are going through due to there selfish acts without anyone’s approval for such a infestation. My email is billr320@gmail.com .
I live in Canada, and this year my brown house, is crawling in these stupid beetles. I agree that however and whoever brought them here should be sued. The amount of money we have spent priming and repainting indoors and outdoors is now in the thousands. No matter what we do, they just keep returning. We got rid of them for a couple years but now it seems their back 10 fold.
With who?
Hilarious! Just cracked up! ?
Wonderful idea…I personally drown them…They have been invading my master bedroom for years ……fyi…lady beetles and stink bugs don’t swim…just keep a small cup with a soapy water and drop them in..
I tried drowning one in bleach. The little booger survived! I’ve never seen anything like them, except Count Dracula. Damn!
You can’t drown them they can breath under water and play dead I did a rest left water for 20 mins emerged pull it out he was still alive
I am about at that degree! To to funny and for those who were offended for heaven sakes don’t let Satan steal your joy!
Does it matter what type of mum’s you plant? Will any type of mum work to keep these bugs away?
Yes, any mum’s plant will work.
My Mum Worked fine. Kept her busy for a long time.
Oh carp, I planted my mum and it did nothing for the lady beatles but she is pissed
The thing that will completely eradicate Lady Bugs or Asian Lady Bettles is diatomaceous earth. (Get the food grade variety.). Sprinkle it along your window sill where the pests are entering. They will be gone in 24 hours!
To get rid of ladybugs and boxelders, simply smash them with a newspaper or shoe and by doing this you will also get the benefit of getting any anger you might have, out.
Noooo! Don’t do this! It not only leaves the yellow stain, but the pheromone is released & more are attracted. Learned the hard way. ?
The following is a reply that in my opinion is not appropriate and should have been removed.
It is as follows:
Aj April 2, 2015 at 11:19 pm
“Another sure fire way to rid your home of lady beatles is to throughly and completely burn the entire home to the ground feeding the fire as needed to keep the flames as hot as possible to prevent any of them little pests from getting out alive.”
Lighten up!! AJ’s got a great sense of humor while dealing with a VERY annoying situation.
Good grief……chill out people.
I’m with you, Connie. Most terrible issue I have encountered. These bugs are driving me crazy. I think I have them all, and turn around and twenty have come to the funeral!!!
I am dealing with them by the hundreds….they literally drive me mad! They stink and I hate them…..my husband didn’t pay attention to me complaining until he was eating popcorn and one ended up in it and he ate it! I had to laugh………I woke up with one in my ear one morning..it drove me mad! /I cleaned a window out one day and they were sucked into vac…sounded like sucking up rocks….next day….window full again…I have white siding on upper part of house …..awful……I just had new doors and windows and they still come in under the seal…they are just invading us terrible….drives me mad!
Pat, I just saw your post. “Martin’s VIPER”, buy on the Internet. Buy the CONCENTRATE, follow directions to mix with h20 in garden sprayer & spray outside frames. cracks, etc. THIS STUFF WORKS & kills every pest that moves, including wasps!!! I fired my exterminator after finding this stuff. Use caution. Good luck.
Oh stop! It was funny.
Why do you feel it is inappropriate? If you are here I am assuming you know how extremely annoying and difficult it is to remove these pests and one might half consider burning the house down to be rid of them!! It is a joke, intended to lighten a very stressful and annoying situation. Relax
Lol, don’t you know that no matter what you say about anything (joke or not) you are going to offend somebody!!! People really need to grow up!!!
I just told my sister yesterday that I thought the only way I was going to get rid of them would be to “burn” the house down or move!!!
Lighten up. It was a joke, probably from someone who has an overabundance of lady beetles that are actually impossible to get rid of. Jeez Louise, get yourself a lemon candle and a pick up a sense of humor while you’re at it.
LOL, Luv that. Work as peds nurse in different ct homes always looking for natural solutions to assist w/pest control w/o exterminating famiy &my patients as collateral damage in the process. I used to collect jars of different dead pest as a warning (just in case these creatures have intelligence) Sticky traps cut into strips & stapled near crevices etc. The collection of small critters w/o names u can collect are phenomenal. When solutions stop working does not mean it never worked, just means the buggers adapted, so must we. Btw also suffered much material loss following home fire. Most greatful was NO LOSS OF LIFE(except hopefully the pests discussed in these discussions) I found the burn house & keep feeding fire to assure no escape tooo funny. Love that type of humor.
omg! Can no one joke anymore without ‘offending’ someone? Pretty much every one would NOT attempt to burn their house down. It’s a joke and I thought it was funny. Inappropriate? No.
Do these things also bite???
Yes! And it freaking hurts!!!!!!!!!! I’ve been woken up several time with them biting me.
yes
Yes they bite. I just got bit while reading these blogs. AND yes the bites do hurt. It’s like a pinch. I don’t know why they bite humans as I did not think humans had anything they would want except to take over a home.
They bite us in an effort to take over the world!
Yes, they bite. Some people develop terrible allergies to them. My husband has developed terrible itchy rashes if he comes in contact with them or touches anything they have.
My husband hung a fly strip by our dining room light fixture. With in 15 minutes we had 50 of them on there
If there are a mass amount lemon halves N slices work.
If you don’t want to squish them I roll duct tape on my hand and collect them then they are trapped put them in the garbage. Lysol lemon cleaner after spits they’ve been help,too.
Critters are critters …
It is what it is.
Vacuuming saves time, but always burn the bag of them. 🙂
They return regardless it’s part of life.
How come we never see the names and faces of the Genius’ that released these bugs into Minnesota. Yesterday was gorgeous and we were unable to enjoy our deck or even outside because of the cloud of these pests around us. I’m vacuuming them up today and putting them in the Bird feeder. These bugs are like a oil spill that can’t be cleaned up and someone should be held responsible. They have ruined Indian Summer in Minnesota forever.
Unfortunately, lady beetles are so bitter and disgusting, even birds will not eat them.
Are you talking about beetles or “illegal aliens”? They sound very similar!
Birds and other animals will not eat these bugs because of the disgusting smell they make when they are afraid. The only animal I’ve ever seen eat them is our pet dog…and he eats garbage, pillows, tree bark, and just about anything he can dig up.
My family found this thing called a Bugzooka. Point at bug, press button, it sucks them up, then you remove the top where the bugs are trapped, freeze it (especially with these guys), then throw them in your fire. Works for mosquitoes, spiders, ants, wasps, and just about any other kind of insect that can enter your home.
It’s the middle of winter, but because we had such a warm and then cold and then warm, etc. autumn, the lady beetles and house flies have invaded and don’t look to be leaving anytime soon. I’m hopeful that the suggestions here can help not only get rid of them, but keep them out.
If it makes you feel any better, we are experiencing these nasty bugs right now in Kansas.
They also are in Wisconsin as well. MN is not exclusive. I too would like to know who the genious was that let these loose. Probably the same one who created the mosquito with the zika virus. Some government person who was over paid to sit at his desk and think about nothing.
The governments Scientists need to learn a little bit of RESPECT, and stop lying to us!!! And ignoring our questions when it pertains to us and our families health…
Yes they are biters !!