Ladybug invasion?

[AT]

As cute as they are, these bugs are starting to tick me off. I usually find (and
dispose of) two or three in the baths every day but they're all over the house;
I've found them in the kitchen and bedrooms too. All windows are winterized so
where are these things coming from?

[Nan]

On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 17:44:03 -0500, AT <nomail@no.net> wrote:

>As cute as they are, these bugs are starting to tick me off. I usually find (and
>dispose of) two or three in the baths every day but they're all over the house;
>I've found them in the kitchen and bedrooms too. All windows are winterized so
>where are these things coming from?

They're not the usual ladybugs. They're probably Asian ladybeetles,
and they're a real pain every fall. Chances are, they've been
hibernating in cracks and crevices within your home, and warmer temps
have caused them to come out of hiding.
We battle the nuisance every fall with bug spray and sucking them into
the shopvac, but I've seen a few in our home lately, too.
They go back outside eventually.

Nan

[Phisherman]

On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 17:44:03 -0500, AT <nomail@no.net> wrote:

>As cute as they are, these bugs are starting to tick me off. I usually find (and
>dispose of) two or three in the baths every day but they're all over the house;
>I've found them in the kitchen and bedrooms too. All windows are winterized so
>where are these things coming from?


I'm getting a few per week. Last fall, I was getting several per day
and found out that they can bite! One crawled under my shirt and
took a bite at one of the tender areas of the body--they don't seem to
bite when picked up with the fingers. They will find the smallest of
cracks where they hibernate for the winter. You can use the crevice
attachment on the vacuum to clean them up if you prefer not to handle
them. If crushed, they can stain surfaces and fabrics. They are
carnivores.

[Oldylocks]

"AT" <nomail@no.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1ab812c2dd57688398976d@News.individual.DE ...
> As cute as they are, these bugs are starting to tick me off. I usually
find (and
> dispose of) two or three in the baths every day but they're all over the
house;
> I've found them in the kitchen and bedrooms too. All windows are
winterized so
> where are these things coming from?

Catch em with this attractive trap
http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/%7Eipm/lady/blt1.htm

Personally, we spray our house with DemonWP (for houseflies) but it takes
care of the lady beetles as well.
I have also purchased a silicone weather-stripping caulk product called Seal
'n' Peel (I think) and I basically "glued" my window screens' seams shut.
This stuff is meant to be removed easily, so the screens can be removed in
case of emergency, and it's see-through, so it's not ugly. This was the key
to keeping all my bugs out - they were getting in around the tiny gap
between the screen and the screen's track, which didn't seem loose enough
for anything to get in, but sure enough!

My mom does something with vinegar... sprays it on her windows, I think.

I just read that lemon scented candles keep them away. I doubt it, but I
found it interesting.

-Oldylocks

[AT]

nlb63@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 17:44:03 -0500, AT <nomail@no.net> wrote:
>
> >As cute as they are, these bugs are starting to tick me off. I usually find (and
> >dispose of) two or three in the baths every day but they're all over the house;
> >I've found them in the kitchen and bedrooms too. All windows are winterized so
> >where are these things coming from?
>
> They're not the usual ladybugs. They're probably Asian ladybeetles,
> and they're a real pain every fall.

You're right. I found a lot of useful info on this site
http://ipm.osu.edu/lady/biting.avi

> We battle the nuisance every fall with bug spray and sucking them into
> the shopvac, but I've seen a few in our home lately, too.
> They go back outside eventually.

Looks like these bugs are here to stay :(... We'll just have to get used to them,
I guess. At least they're beneficial and don't carry diseases.

Thanks Phisherman for your reply, too.

[AT]

"Oldylocks" <no> wrote:
>
> Catch em with this attractive trap
> http://www.ag.ohio-state.edu/%7Eipm/lady/blt1.htm

ROTFL!

> silicone weather-stripping caulk product called Seal 'n' Peel [...]
> This stuff is meant to be removed easily, so the screens can be removed in
> case of emergency, and it's see-through, so it's not ugly.

Thanks for the tip. I'll be sure to get a tube next time I'm at HD.

[Melba's Jammin']

In article <ppjs40158q83c5g276laald5mdpoetkeh1@4ax.com>,
nobody@noone.com wrote:

> On Tue, 9 Mar 2004 17:44:03 -0500, AT <nomail@no.net> wrote:
>
> >As cute as they are, these bugs are starting to tick me off. I
> >usually find (and dispose of) two or three in the baths every day
> >but they're all over the house; I've found them in the kitchen and
> >bedrooms too. All windows are winterized so where are these things
> >coming from?

> I'm getting a few per week. Last fall, I was getting several per day
> and found out that they can bite! One crawled under my shirt and
> took a bite at one of the tender areas of the body--they don't seem to
> bite when picked up with the fingers. They will find the smallest of
> cracks where they hibernate for the winter. You can use the crevice
> attachment on the vacuum to clean them up if you prefer not to handle
> them. If crushed, they can stain surfaces and fabrics. They are
> carnivores.

They aren't ladybugs:
<.http://www.thebeneficialinsectco.com/help/asian-lady-beetles.htm>
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 3-8-04.
Rec.food.cooking's Preserved Fruit Administrator (I've got
the button to prove it!)
"The only difference between a rut and a grave is
the depth of the hole."