It’s October once again, and once again, I despise Asian lady beetles. For those of you who aren’t plagued by these impostures of cute little Lady Bugs, consider yourself a very blessed group of individuals.
During this time of the year, whenever we have a cold snap, and then rain along with a warm spell, millions of these creatures converge on my house and take up housekeeping like an unwanted relative. They stink, they fly on you, and they can even bite you. They try to look like the cute little lady bug that shows up in your child’s Little Golden Book, but after a closer look, you can tell they’re anything but cute. Reports say they can live up to three years, but not if they show up in my house. Beware bugs: You’ve met the Walker Texas Ranger of Dust Buster Enforcement.
It seems the past few years, as the weeks progress from fall into winter in our state, these bugs without passports have taken up vacationing at my house. In fact, I think my place has become the Gulf Shores for these stinky beetles. I will now begin to find them daily in the windowsills, on the floor, on my nightlight (yes, I do have a nightlight to keep away the boogie man), and the corners of the ceiling in the garage. These polka-dotted beetles have made themselves a real nuisance.
If you want their real names, and not the one I call them when I find one on my toothbrush, it’s Harmonia axyridis, or multicolored Asian lady beetles. Just as their name indicates, they’re not originally from these parts, but since their introduction to the U.S., they’ve made our homes and farms their new place of abode.
Several state Extension programs report that the beetle is native to eastern Asia. Since the early 1980s, several states, including Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, Maryland, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, have attempted to establish the beetle as a natural control agent of agricultural pests. No one seems to admit there was ever a release here in Tennessee; rather, their movement to our part of the country was just a natural migration from other states. Every time I see one, it does cause me to have Georgia on my mind, and I’m not thinking at all of Willie with the braids.
Supposedly, they do biological control against aphids and other soft-bodied insects that can damage trees and crops. They won’t eat up your house or lawn, but are just a nuisance when they take over your house. They’re harmless to people, don’t carry diseases, and have a slight odor that comes from a fluid they use as a protective measure against predators. I’ve heard, however, that some people do develop allergies to these little bugs. They can also cause a grown man to become very war like. I have proof ...
They tend to be more attracted to lighter colored buildings. My house is a light green painted western cedar, making me a perfect target for a stopping place to spend the night. In their native countries, they congregate on light-colored rock faces and bluffs.
For this reason, the beetles tend to appear more often on the sunny side of houses, which is usually the southwest side. Houses that don’t get a lot of sun, especially with shade on the southwest side, are less likely to attract lady beetles.
Several sources report that the Asian lady beetle is a tree-dwelling insect that targets homes and buildings in forested areas for infestation. Suburban and landscaped industrial settings adjacent to wooded areas have also had large lady beetle aggregations. Once the beetles land on the sunny side of a building, they attempt to locate cracks and other dark openings for hibernation sites, which may explain why my attic has become the Conrad Hilton for these “skunk” bugs. It’s important to caulk around the outside of your house to keep them out, but it’s tough to secure the entire house because the smallest crack will allow them to slip in. I’ve caulked and painted the entire house, and they still find ways to get in.
About the only way I’ve found to get rid of them, once they set up housekeeping, is to vacuum them up. But they can really smell up your vacuum cleaner in a hurry. I keep a small hand-held vacuum just for the purpose of getting this unwelcomed guest out of my house. They stay longer each year, and it seems they’re here to stay. I know they’re only looking for a warm spot to spend the winter months, but so does a skunk.
I just wish they would go back to the states that first wanted them to begin with.
Pettus L. Read writes for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. He may be contacted at pettusr60@gmail.com.