How many of you have a ladybug problem? (actually, I read that they are some kind of Asian beetle, but everyone calls them ladybugs). They were introduced by farmers to eat aphids or something. Apparently they don't really do that, but they have gotten out of control. Every spring and every fall they swarm. My breezeway and garage floor will be covered with them in the fall. I spent half a day last Saturday cleaning them up in the garage. They get in the house, apparently through the door seals, and buzz around the lights and are a real nuisance. They stink and stain the carpet or wall, so you can't just smash them. We use duct tape to get them off the wall or carpet. In the garage, I use the shop vac to get them. No kind of bug spray seems to affect them at all and the cats won't eat them.
Yeah Danny, they've been something of a nuisance for the past several years. A couple of years back we toured an historical home at a state park and there were places on the walls that were solid with the bugs. Of course that house had no weatherstripping or anything [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
Vacuum is the cleanest way to deal with them [img]/forums/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]
Lets don't make the mistake and call them ladybugs (just because "everyone" else does), because they are asian beetles. The ladybugs don't need the bad press, as they are not a real nuisance, and are good to have around.
I agree with you that the asian beetles are a real pest. Around here, they were worse last year, but now with a recent warm-up, they are coming back out of hiding.
Seems as though they congregate in masses, which means they must be attracted to something. Whoever finds out what causes them to congregate, should be able to patent a trap that would be pretty effective. I hope someone is working on it, and makes a few million.
They really seem to be attracted to my garage. Maybe it's the type of wood it's made of. It's just bare wood inside. I wonder if I painted the whole inside if that would distract them?
Does anyone know who introduced them? All I've heard is that it was the "farmers", but there must have been some organized group.
Yes - interesting stuff. However, I'm really getting tired of the bastards. I'm going to do some serious search/destroy on them over the next few days....
I'll trade you some of my aphids for some of your ladybugs! I find a few ladybugs here and there on my plants but gazillions of aphids!
Seriously, I am glad I am not plagued with an infestation of ladybugs but I wish I had more. We actually bought some one time and turned them loose around our plants and flowers to help control the bad bug population. Some stayed but most of them flew away. Maybe they flew to your place, huh?
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