Where did all the ladybugs come from?
Last week, we were dealing with very cold temperatures and even snow. Today it’s warm and sunny, but my house is being invaded by ladybugs!
From time to time, in the fall, we have many people write to us about the ladybugs that come out in the fall. Are they a sign of a harsh winter to come? Are they bringing good luck?
While you may have heard the superstition that ladybugs bring good luck, they don’t seem to have any weather predicting ability. There is no significance between the number of ladybugs and the upcoming winter forecast. Fall infestation of these beetles is definitely a sign of winter’s approach. As the temperatures begin to cool, these bugs love when a sunny day beckons to them to come out and soak up the rays. If it’s a warm autumn day, you may see tons of ladybugs on the sunniest side of your house.
In the fall as the nights cool down, the bugs gravitate to warm places during the days (soaking up the sun (rays) on your house). They will do anything or go any place for a bit of warmth. In fact, if there is a tiny opening around a window or door, they find their way in and seem to invite all of their relatives.
Bottom line – the ladybugs are getting the last bit of warmth and mean no harm. Ladybugs are friends of a garden. They feed on insect eggs, small worms, and other pests. They are not necessarily friends in homes. They can damage carpets and furniture with their secretions, and if your home is really infested, when they die they can be all over window sills throughout the house. Best way to get rid of them? Vaccuum.
Click here for the feed »
11 comments
We are seeing alot of lady bugs this year as winter approaches. We live in Louisiana. I know the myth about early or severe winters being the prediction but is there any truth to it. Our hummingbirds also migrated early this year.
I concur with the other folks who are annoyed and frustrated with these little insects! Harmless or not, it sure would be nice to be rid of them once and for all!
A few years ago, we were enjoying an evening at home, when all of the sudden we noticed a very hot electrical smell. Paranoid that there was faulty wiring in the walls or attic, we called the fire department to see if they could send a couple guys out with one of those thermal detectors. Much to my dismay, the entire fire department showed up at our home, sirens and lights full force! They even brought the tanker truck!
After having several men traipsing through my home, they ruled out any faulty electrical wiring and assured us every thing was a-ok. As we were standing around talking, I happened to see something crawling out of my computer monitor…can you guess what it was?! Those little suckers marched inside and shorted the monitor! You think they smell bad when you squish or just touch them, try having one fried!
Would an electronic bug repeller work to keep them out of the house?
I wish someone would give a more permanant solution. I’m sick to death of dealing with this every October. They stink, they get in my home, they’ve even found their way in my refrigerator and everytime we open the door, you smell their horrible odor. I’m ready to call an exterminator. Enough.
This is my 4th year of living in the country and I have never seen so many ladybugs. We can’t go outside without fighting the ladybugs off, they are so thick you can see them flying everywhere. They are even invading our home through cracks aroound the screens we have since had to tape up. I know they are harmless but any kind of bug crawling in my home runs cold chills up and down my spine. I can’t stand it. I live in Tennessee between Nasville and Memphis and have cotton fields all around my house. We are having unusual warm temps also. Where are they coming from and how do I get rid of them?
We have suffered the ladybug “challenge” for 5 or 6 years in a row now. Thankfully the rain arrived, along with cooler weather, here in Pennsylvania and I hope this year’s battle is over. They might be healthy for gardens, but they give me the creeps as I watch them march along the crown molding in my dining room (on the sunny side of the house, of course). I too have resorted to disposing of them via vacuum cleaner!
wow !
The so called ladybugs at our home are not harmless, they not only coat the side of our home, they BITE! It’s a battle of wills when I attempt to get into my home each evening. Once inside it’s a half an hour with the vaccuum to get rid of them and another couple of hours until their odor finally clears.
Lol thats horrible to just vacuum them up!
I live in east stroudsburg pennsylvania and my house,outside and in, is infested. I’ve never seen so many at one time like this.
thank you for the info I have found that this bugs do bite. I live in the country and this is the first for me to see them fly around like this , Ive had them in my gardens but this is so bad you cant even go outside. thank you again
Leave a Comment