Home & Garden Tips
Lady Beetles Coming Inside
By Roosevelt McWilliams Burke County Extension Agent
A roaring fire in the hearth, coats and mittens hanging in the foyer and windblown leaves racing around outside are all signs that winter has arrived. You may want to add lady beetles on that list.

Each winter, more and more Asian lady beetles, often called ladybugs, travel into homes seeking shelter from the cold. They may be beneficial in the garden, but they aren't typically welcome indoors.

Asian lady beetles are one of several species in Georgia. But they're the only one here with the annoying houseguest habit.

Lady beetles feed on aphids, an insect that can cause major damage to pecan trees, crape myrtles, roses, and many other plants. When they are around to eat the aphids, you may not need to spray insecticides.

Lately, county agents are getting a lot of calls statewide about lady beetles. People aren't calling to praise them for their aphid-eating skills. When you find where they're coming into your home, you're finding somewhere that cold air can come in also.

I recommend sweeping up the beetles and physically returning them outdoors. During this temperature transition stage, they're just looking for a place to stay for the winter.

If you resort to physical removal, I urge you to be careful. Lady beetles do have a defense mechanism. They can release yellow hemolymph, which is reflexive bleeding from their joints. It's a defensive response for you that can result in orange stains on your walls and furniture.