Ladybugs invade Nevada

Sunday, October 26, 2003

They're small, colorful and smell funny. During the fall they seem intent on invading your house. No, it's not trick-or-treaters, it's harmocia axyridis, the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, otherwise known as a ladybug. West Central Region Agronomy Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension Office Pat Miller said that this year has been especially bad for ladybugs. According to Bruce Barrett and Wayne Baily, of the University of Missouri Department of Entomology, the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle was introduced into the United States in the late '70s as a biological control agent. The ladybug is well known for its voracious appetite for aphids, mealybugs, scale and other soft-bodied insects that routinely infest crops. By now the average reader is asking themselves: "I understand that the ladybug is a 'good' bug, but why are they invading my house?" In the wilds of Asia the Lady Beetle gathers in large numbers on cliffs to breed and hibernate. "Where they come from, there are these white cliffs and they hibernate on the rocks. So if you have the right color of siding they will think, 'This looks like a good place to go hibernate,'" said Miller. While the ladybug is a nuisance in such large numbers, the creatures are not harmful. However, when handled they will sometimes emit an chemical that stinks and may stain fabrics or walls. Barrett and Baily say that the best way to take care of ladybugs is to vacuum them up with a vacuum cleaner. However, it is important to empty the bag soon. Otherwise, the dead bugs will begin to stink and that smell will never leave the machine. Miller adds that a ladybug invasion can be largely prevented by making sure that windows and doors seal and will not let the bugs in.

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