Tips for Preventing and Treating Ladybug Infestations

In the Fall, many homeowners experience an overwhelming onset of Ladybugs in their homes. Ladybugs are particularly attracted to homes in wooded areas, homes with natural wood siding that is warmed by the sun, homes with lots of cracks and crevices and are often attracted to light colored areas on homes. It is thought that the reason they gravitate towards lighter colored surfaces is that those areas mimic their native habitat where they hibernate in sun-warmed limestone cliffs. There are many options for helping to prevent and treat ladybug issues, check out our recommendations below.
Prevention
Seal all Cracks, Gaps and Crevices
- Ladybugs enter homes through small cracks and crevices all over the house. Be sure to seal up all cracks around windows, doors, pipes, clap boards and other utility lines that enter the house before the Fall season approaches.
- Replace mortar and weatherstripping around basement foundation and windows.
- Repair or replace broken screens on windows and doors.
Spray a Repellent
- Ladybugs do not like citronella or the smell of mint.
- Combine peppermint essential oil with water and spray around the areas Ladybugs gather.
- For exterior areas where they may be entering, spray plant oil based repellent like NBS 30 around entry points to help discourage them.
Set Up a Ladybug House
- Provide the Ladybugs with another location to over winter that is safe and warm but outside your home by providing them with a Ladybug House.
Plant Mums
- Mums are a late blooming Fall flower that repel ladybugs. Plant mums around your house, on decks and in window boxes.
Use Diatomaceous Earth
- Diatomaceous earth is a soft, crumbly, porous sedimentary deposit formed from the fossil remains of single celled algae. Spreading food grade diatomaceous earth around your house, awnings, window seals, etc will often keep Ladybugs away. The substance gets stuck to the Ladybug’s legs, making it unpleasant for them to walk through.
Treatment of Existing Infestations
Ladybugs are harmless, though they can be a nuisance and often make people uncomfortable. Ladybugs do not eat household items and do not lay eggs while hibernating in the home. Ladybugs will however excrete a stinky yellow substance, (which is actually their blood) when they sense danger, this substance has been known to stain light color objects. That being said, here are some methods to deal with an existing infestation:
Make an In-Home Repellent Spray
- Ladybugs don’t like the smell of camphor menthol, citrus or clove scents. Use a couple drops of one of these essential oils mixed with water in a spray bottle and spray in areas where the ladybugs are congregating. Often, they will leave the premises.
Vacuum with Hose Attachment or Shop Vac
- Ladybugs will often survive vacuuming. To do this humanely as possible, place an old sock on the end of the vacuum nozzle with a rubber band. The suction will pull the ladybugs into the sock and then you can easily transport them outside away from your home.
Caution: Use of topical insecticides or bug bombs on the exterior or interior of your home exposes children, pets and yourself to potentially harmful substances. For everyone’s safety, it is best to stick with sustainable methods of dealing with ladybugs.
Often several seasons of treatment may be necessary to rid your home of Ladybugs but your efforts will usually pay off over time.
Do you have a successful way of preventing Ladybugs? Share your story in the comments section below.
Reference Sites:
http://www.ladybuglady.com/infestation.htm
http://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-deal-with-ladybug-infestation/
http://household-tips.thefuntimesguide.com/2010/08/ladybug_infestation.php
http://www.orkin.com/other/beetles/ladybugs-asian-lady-beetles/
I would like to make a correction to this article. The bugs you are referring to and showing a picture of are not American or European lady bugs, instead they are Asian Lady Beetles. These bugs have actually eaten so many ladybugs that lady bugs are an endangered species. There are a few key differences in appearance and lifestyle. The lady bug does not congregate in homes as it over winters outside, the ASB absolutely comes into homes for the warmth as it cannot tolerate cold winters. LB live less than a year while ALB live about 3 years. LB will search for food elsewhere when it is scarce, ALB will start to eat the plants they were brought here 100 years ago to protect. ALB can be aggressive and will secret their stink fairly easily while LB don’t have a strong stink and rarely use it. All this being said I’m happy to know all the things your informative article provided to get these bugs out of my home.
I use mums…..
I’m really glad that this article talked about ladybug infestation, I heard that they aren’t really known to carry diseases and they actually don’t damage structures. It is honestly my fault why I had this problem since I heard that they’re good for my garden. They can honestly rectify the aphid problems in my garden but it backfires and they’ve started nesting inside our house. Thanks for your tip about making repellent spray, I’ll be sure to buy camphor menthol, citrus, or clove scents. I didn’t know that it was just an easy peasy treatment.