Ladybug Infestation – Why Are There Ladybugs in My House?

Help! I Have a Ladybug Infestation

Ladybugs (Coccinellidae), also called ladybirds and lady beetles, are helpful insects that feed on plant pests like aphids, mites, and other arthropods. The United States is home to close to 500 species of ladybugs. While they’re helpful to farmers and gardeners, some species – particularly the Asian lady beetle (harlequin ladybug) – invade homes.

Here’s what to do if your house is crawling with ladybugs …

Why Do I Have Ladybugs in My House?

Through the winter months, ladybugs can seek shelter in the coziness of your home. They may cluster in the corner of a window, a crawlspace, or the attic.

Ladybugs often live in places with a heavy number of aphids and mites, so your home is more likely to have a ladybug infestation if you live in a wooded area or near a field. Ladybugs will look for nearby shelter when the weather turns cold.

Treating your property with Mosquito Squad’s Protective Barrier Treatment limits the population of insect pests in the yard, and helps prevent ladybug and other infestations from occurring.

How Do Ladybugs Get Inside?

While there may be factors that make your home more appealing than others, the real reason ladybugs are here is because they found an opening.

These are common entries ladybugs – and other pests – use to come into your home:

• Damaged screens.
• Cracks in the wall, siding, or roof tiles.
• Gaps beneath the door or between the doorframe.
• Open vents.

How to Get Rid of a Ladybug Infestation

The first thought might be to kill the bugs and sweep them up, but violent removal isn’t recommended because when ladybugs feel threatened, they release a smelly pheromone that can attract other ladybugs.

Next thing you know, there’s another wave of ladybugs in your house. Instead of crushing them, try to naturally deter ladybugs with scents they dislike, such as citronella, and fill gaps beneath doors and around windows to prevent them from entering

DIY Tips to Get Rid of Ladybugs

If you experience an infestation, try these methods to safely remove and deter future infestations:

• Vacuum. You can vacuum or sweep the colony outside. It’s a simple solution but may be a tedious process with more bugs appearing as soon as you put the vacuum or broom away.
• Soapy water. Fill a bottle with soapy water and spray clusters of ladybugs. The soap will coat the wings and abdomen with a film that will suffocate the insect. If the infestation is in the attic or a dark corner of the house, you could also set a bowl of soapy water near a window or lamp. As the bugs are attracted to the light, they will encounter the water trap. The trap is less effective in brighter areas of the home.
• Scents. Because they communicate through pheromones, ladybugs are extremely sensitive to smells. To make your home less appealing, use bay leaves, cloves, or citronella as natural repellants. They also hate citrus and mint essential oils.
• Mums. Ladybugs hate mums. Chrysanthemums, in particular, have a chemical compound that strongly repels the insects. Simply add them as potted plants inside your home! To deter future ladybug infestations, plant them around the home outside.
• Diatomaceous earth. When used as a natural pesticide, this white powder from diatom algae absorbs all of the moisture from insects, leaving them fully dried out. Simply sprinkle over spaces with an active infestation or as a preventative around the house and potential entry points. Reapply in places where the powder has been kicked up or otherwise disturbed.

Related content: Help! I’m Living with Stink Bugs!

Are Ladybug Infestations Bad?

While ladybugs are harmless, having swarms of them in your home is unsettling.

Also, smelly. They can secrete heavy pheromones to attract more ladybugs or to signal danger when they feel threatened. These secretions leave yellow stains on your walls, furniture, and floor.

Thankfully, there are no health concerns from ladybug infestations. Even if they bite or pinch you, you will only experience mild irritation. And although they gather in large numbers, there’s no risk of disease. However, some do have allergies to the pheromone ladybugs release and could experience runny noses or watery eyes.

To Stop an Infestation Before It Begins, Call the Squad

The best way to prevent ladybugs from infesting your home is to keep them out of your yard in the first place. The pest control specialists at Mosquito Squad can treat your property with a Protective Barrier Treatment to manage a range of pests, including ladybugs.

To start treatment, request a free quote online.