Ladybugs and Japanese Beetles… What might they have in common?
Besides having a hard protective “shell” or elytra covering their wings, six legs, both insects also have a propensity to show up in locations that drive homeowners to near madness! What else do they have in common? Well, pest management researchers at the University of Connecticut are working on a project to determine if a particular type of pesky ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) releases an aggregation scent or pheromone that attracts more ladybeetles. This certainly seems likely based on area homeowners’ experiences of discovering caches of ladybugs in the fall or early spring near the base of trees and shrubs under the protection of a few leaves or mulch. And, this makes the stories of mounds of ladybeetles being found in the attic near a southerly facing roof ventilators or eave vents very believable. Even with a few “pest” qualities exhibited by ladybugs, remember that they are still considered beneficial in control of over 50 kinds of aphids and some scale insects that feed on many d
