Residential Routine Pest Control Maintenance

The Asian Lady Beetle: An Invasive Pest

There are numerous pests that can invade your home and garden: roaches, ants, wasps, etc. However, one of the most annoying and hard to get rid of pests is actually the Asian Lady Beetle. They are among the peskiest of pests and stubborn of bugs that you can encounter. Throughout the course of this brief article, you'll learn how to properly define and identify the Asian Lady Beetle, you will learn their origins — where they came from and how they got here, how to identify an infestation of Asian Lady Beetles, and finally, you will learn how to cope with the beasts yourself.

What Are Asian Lady Beetles?

First and foremost, Asian Lady Beetles are an invasive species. Invasive species are essentially a species that is introduced to an environment that is not their natural habitat, which causes them to wreak havoc upon their current environment, much to the chagrin and misfortune of humans who inhabit that current space.

Asian Lady Beetles are essentially bugs that were introduced to North and South America in order to control aphid populations. They look very similar to their European counterparts, ladybugs; however, they tend to be larger and have a more pronounced dome shape. Although helpful in the eradication of other bugs and pests, they tend to create infestations themselves.

When Did They Get Here And Where Did They Come From?

It is believed that Asian Lady Beetles were actually introduced to North America in the 1970s in order to control a prominent and wild aphid population. They were brought over from sources as disparate as Korea and China.

The Asian Lady Beetles seemingly failed to control the aphid population and, for many years, were considered unsuitable for promulgation in North America. However, by the late 80s, pockets of Asian Lady Beetles were discovered outside of New Orleans, Louisiana. From the time of this observation, the Asian Lady Beetle quickly spread from its tiny pocket in the south to the Midwest, and within ten years, had made its home in places all over the continental United States.

Infestations Of Asian Lady Beetles

Why is it  that these relatively attractive looking bugs are so pesky? The fact of the matter is that they have very few natural enemies in North America, so their population is ever expansive. Although cold temperatures kill them off, they've found a way to avoid such a fate: by taking up residence in the warmth of your home.

Asian Lady Beetles tend to clump together and infest structures during the Winter months. This can cause you a relatively serious series of headaches. This can consist of everything from the minor annoyance of seeing a cluster of these beasts to finding your food pantry invaded by them.

Coping With Asian Lady Beetles

There are numerous ways you can take preventative measures against Asian Lady Beetles, some extreme, others humdrum. On the former tip, have you considered changing the color of your house? Asian Lady Beetles are actually attracted to bright and vibrant colors, so if things are very serious, you might want to start painting your walls tank grey.

Screens are actually perhaps the most important defense against Asian Lady Beetles. Although pesky, they are mainly non-destructive, and are unable to chew through screens in order to make their way into your house and home. Likewise, make sure your home is well-sealed. Caulk any areas that can be considered an open source for Asian Lady Beetles to crawl into. The best method for getting rid of Asian Lady Beetles when you encounter them is actually quite simple: vacuum them up! 

As you can see, having an infestation of Asian Lady Beetles is not the end of the world. Armed with this information, you should be ready to take on these pests head on. If, however, you have a large infestation that you need help getting rid of, you may want to contact a local pest control company. Visit http://www.heritagepestcontrolma.com/ for more information.