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trudy_gw

Stinking lady bugs!

trudy_gw
20 years ago

Those stinking lady bugs are back!~ Every time we walk in the basement door, they just attack us. You walk in and you smell like a lady bug. I guess they are much needed in your garden to eat other bad bugs, but just wish they didnt need to come inside. They do help with fungus knats during the winter inside, that like our hosta seedlings. Anybody else have them yet? Guess is a sure sign of autumn.

Comments (12)

  • Baumer
    20 years ago

    Yep. Just few flying around this am. Went to Tama got groceries at Fairway. Came home whole south side of house covered. And they BITE. Guess will get old vacuum ready with cotton ball with raid on it. . Thought was lucky they hadn't been here. Can hardy see out on window. Coming soffit vents.

  • Maggie4
    20 years ago

    What happened! Went to watch grandson play ball, came home and couldn't get in the house. LADYBUGS! and BOXELDER BUGS!
    They say spraying w/soapy water will kill them but....... new ones just replace the dead ones. Where were they all summer, wanted them to eat the aphids!

  • sosusie
    20 years ago

    Same here. Walked out on the fron porch and they started landing all over me. Only thing is, ours aren't Lady bugs they are Japanese beetles. Look just like lady bugs but more of a burnt orange in color than red. Hubby says Lady bugs don't bite, but these beetles sure do!
    ~SOS~

  • sosusie
    20 years ago

    Oopps....Made a mistake, they are Asian not Japanese beetles. Check out the link below from Iowa State University.
    Seems like they are attracted to light colored buildings...and our house is white. Time for a new paint job!
    ~SOS~

    Here is a link that might be useful: Asian Lady Beetles

  • Holly526
    20 years ago

    I'm west of Des Moines and you can see them flying through the air...they are nasty! We have TONS of them, plus the box elder boxs and those little teeny black biting things too. All appeared yesterday out of nowhere.

  • ottumwa
    20 years ago

    they are soooooo disgusting. the weather is perfect for everything outdoors. it's a #*@&$ shame we can't go out and enjoy it. I was outside less than one minute and one of those nasty things landed in my drink.

  • Baumer
    20 years ago

    Took some Mexican vanilla sprayed aound door. It's the white kind. Box elders started today. But learned when they get in house. And don't want to Vacuum-whem HAWKS are playing. Take duct-tape. wad some on end of yard stick. Can get them and guys over to the house can still watch football. They say burning Vanilla candles helps keeping asian beetles away.

  • Sedition
    20 years ago

    They are absolutely AWFUL this year! Worst I have ever seen.

    Muhammad Khan was awash in phone calls about them on Gardening Today, Sunday. He didnÂt even know that they ÂbiteÂ.

    Here are some things I learned when I was at Iowa State.

    1) They ARE ladybugs, just a different kind. Mostly the Harmonia axyridis, or Asian Lady Beetle. So donÂt spray them!!! They still eat aphids. Even the oneÂs that are orange or donÂt have spots, these are just immature. One guy on Gardening Today was saying you should spray them because they are related to the Mexican Bean Beetle. This is nonsense. The Black-Widow is related to the Garden Spider, but I donÂt spray Garden Spiders.
    2) They do not ÂbiteÂ. Instead, they have sharp hooks on their feet, so when they land on you, they dig in, and it feels like a bite.
    3) The juveniles live on fruit nectar. So, if you have lots of fruit trees, or like I do, a 100 yo, 40' tall Bradley Pear (where teh fruit rots on the three before I can ever pick it), and huge wild-plum grove, I get a lot of ladybugs. Lots.
    4) They are attracted to heat and white. So wear dark colors, if you decide to reside your house, trim the doorways and windows in something darker colored. This will help keep them from Âcreeping in.

  • Sully4
    20 years ago

    This month's Horticulture magazine has an article on these Asian ladybugs that addresses whether these critters bite. The answer is no. They do not have mouth parts strong enough to bite through anything but the soft part of an aphid. People who say they are bitten are either talking about another insect or responding to some kind of alergic reaction.

  • iowgardenangel
    19 years ago

    this is the worst yr ive seen our basement looks asif its carpeted in these i vacum and in 2 days my upstrs carpetis specled allover with them, how do you kill them, related to lady bug or not,, i even have to cover my coffe or il find one in my cup!! they are awful. any suggestions, Dessa

  • monarae_gw
    19 years ago

    I have been told of an insecticide called Tempo.
    You can get this from a rural CoOp, or farm supply store.
    It has no oder and last for up to 2 months. Its a bit spendy, but the container makes around 3 gallons of spray.
    You have to mix it with water and spray it with a pump sprayer of some sort. Gonna get some this week! Says you can use it in doors also! Wont mind spening a little if it works!

    Hope this helps others too!

    MonaRae

  • Iowagal
    19 years ago

    I've heard about Tempo from a friend who used it last fall. Sounded like her brother put just a tiny bit in a bottle of water and sprayed.... a couple hours later, thousands of dead beetles. And I don't care if they eat aphids or not, when there are thousands of them in your house, those can't be tolerated. Hopefully the rest of them will stay outside now that it's spring.