Harmonia axyridis

If you have Lady Beetles entering your home this winter season, the species concerning you is most probably (Harmonia axyridis), the multi-colored Asian Lady Beetle (aka Japanese Ladybug). These beetles are pretty easily distinquished because the generally have 19 spots on their back and when noticed in your home often come in large numbers or appear on the outside wall of your home. The convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens) is most often what is sold for garden aphid and pest control, this type of lady beetle will not invade houses. Click here to see our beneficial lady beetles for garden aphid control.

Pesticide Use

Spraying pesticides to kill them is not recommended, because all Ladybugs (except the Mexican bean beetle) are very beneficial as predators of pest insects and eggs on agricultural and horticultural crops. In addition, pesticides may be harmful to you and your family's health. Soybean farmers in particular take heed, the Asian Ladybeetle spends most of its summer keeping your beans free of soybean aphids and scal insects.

Autumn and Fall Invaders

In the autumn or fall of the year the Asian Ladybeetle starts looking for a place to spend the winter. Most of the time you will find them congregated on a sunny wall outside of your house with most looking for a place to spend the winter. These beetles can easily get indoors, wherever there are air-leaks, around weather-stripping and through cracks at doors and windows. They can enter through foundation and attic vents, gaps in siding and wherever plumbing enters, etc.

Are Asian Lady Beetles Harmful?

The Japanese Lady Bug or Asian Lady Beetle is not harmful to humans. They are very annoying, invading the house, buzzing around your head. While they don't bite or sting, they often give you a good "pinch" as they test out your skin looking for aphids.

Do Asian Lady Beetles Smell?

If the Asian Lady Beetle is crushed, a noxious (but not harmful) odor results. Contrary to popular belief there is no evidence that the beetles are attracted by the smell of a crushed beetle. They are more attracted to light than smell.

How to collect Lady Beetles (Ladybugs) from an inside environment

Getting them off the ceiling

To attract them to a certain area inside, place slices of fresh apple in infested areas. This usually will bring many of them down from ceilings and walls. Replace with fresh slices every 4-7 days, or whenever needed. Other folks have found that by leaving one light on in the house that the lady beetles will eventually congregate to that area.

Vacuuming them Up

You can vacuum them up with a wet/dry vac by placing a towel or wadded-up paper in the bottom of the collection canister to break the beetles' fall. You can also use a Dust-Buster or sweep them up with a dust pan and wisk-broom. Please keep in mind that if the beetles are crushed a rather noxious smell will result, so it is best to relocate them rather than kill them.

Moving them Outdoors

Now gently shake them into a bag, box or jar and release them outside ASAP, away from the home, by lightly shaking them onto a protected place on the ground or into high grass and/or weeds. You can also store them in your refrigerator (The cold sends them into Diapause, or insect-hibernation) to keep until Spring, then release them in your garden for pest insect control.

The Beneficial Insect Company

The Beneficial Insect Company and Carolina Bug Farm provide biological insect control products in the form of beneficial insects to farmers, stables, gardeners, greenhouses and orchards to help control pests with their natural predators. We carry a variety of natural pest control products.