Does the Asian lady beetle come from soybean fields?
The soybean aphid is commonly blamed for high Asian lady beetle numbers. In fact, the first year we had soybean aphids in Iowa coincided with a good year for the Asian lady beetles. However, we had already had Asian lady beetles in Iowa for 6 years before the soybean aphid arrived. The Asian lady beetle migrates to overwintering spots (often our homes) on the first warm day after the first frost. This is usually sometime in mid to late October. Soybeans are also being harvested at this time. However, by the time soybeans are harvested the plants are very dry and there is no food in the soybean fields for lady beetles. The Asian lady beetles have probably moved out of the soybean fields long before harvest, but we don’t see them until their migration is triggered by weather and shortening day lengths. How do I prevent the Asian lady beetles from getting into my house? If you have had a problem with Asian lady beetles being attracted to your house for the past several years, it is likely
