Dear Trusty Gardener, How can I keep from getting ladybugs in my home in late fall and periodically throughout the winter?
These are Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles. Unlike our native ladybugs, the Asian lady beetles like to overwinter in and around buildings. They collect in large numbers on outside walls warmed by the sun. If there are gaps around the windows or doors, the beetles will come inside and make themselves at home. They do not feed or reproduce indoors, but they are a nuisance. The best way to prevent the beetles from entering your home is to caulk all cracks to the outdoors. If they are already in the home, they can be scooped up and released outdoors, or they can be sucked up using the vacuum cleaner. If you place a piece of a nylon stocking in the vacuum cleaner attachment, it will catch the ladybugs before they end up smashed in the canister, and they can be released back into the outdoors, away from your house. Household insecticides are not effective against this pest, and smashing the beetles is not recommended because the squished critters can leave a permanent stain.
