Get Rid of Ladybug Infestations Naturally – Inside & Outside

ladybugs

The newly imported ladybug, better known as the Asian lady beetle has become quite a nuisance. Originally brought to the country to control predators like aphids, these little beetles can become extremely annoying if they take shelter in your homes to escape the cold winter climate. To get rid of ladybugs, you have quite a few natural options and some pesticide options.

It’s generally a good idea to try natural options first, but for serious ladybug infestations, it might be easier to discuss pesticide options with a pest control professional. We’ll discuss natural and other options below but first, it’s good to learn why ladybugs are sometimes attracted to homes.

Video that shows different between ladybugs and lady beetles and why they’re attracted to your home in the winter.

Ladybugs generally shelter in natural cavities and hills in lower elevations and unfortunately, our homes are incredibly similar to the natural areas they seek.

While the Asian lady beetle does no direct harm to our homes, it can become quite a problem if they invade your home in large numbers.

Their continuous crawling over all surfaces and flying randomly through our space is not acceptable. We need to deter them from attempting to enter our home as a place to spend the winter.

Video showing how to get rid of ladybug infestations

Prevention First

Prevention is a great control method for avoiding an infestation being able to get started as it is so difficult to remove the ladybug beetle once it has found its way into your home. There are a couple of control methods that can be applied to the exterior walls of your home:

News clip showing how to prevent Asian Lady Beetle infestations

D-Fense SC Insecticide

The D-Fense insecticide is odorless and safe around your children and pets. It can provide two to three months of protection around your home for insect control. It can be used indoors as well as outdoors and will provide protection from a wide variety of insects. When spraying outside to prevent the entry of ladybugs; spray the exterior walls from the ground to as high as you can go.

Demon WP Pesticide

This spray is used by many bug control professionals. It has a low odor and lasts up to 90 days. It can be applied indoors and outdoors and provides action in less than an hour. It’s an easy-to-use formula and is ideal for cleaning out unwanted bugs. It will keep the ladybugs from entering your home when applied to the complete exterior of your home.

Getting rid of these ladybug beetles can be quite challenging. Here are some natural tips to follow to prevent your home from becoming their chosen wintering grounds or to remove them if they already have:

Winterize Your Home

The ladybug is going to start looking for somewhere to winter during the fall. They will generally hibernate in your home during the winter months and then begin coming out when it begins to warm in the spring. The hibernation theory becomes questionable as their presence will be seen throughout the winter crawling around your home.

To prevent them from entering in the fall caulk your windows and replace the weather stripping where necessary and make it more difficult for them to come in.

Act Right Away If You Notice a Lady Bug Problem

As soon as you notice these bugs- take action. They are able to multiply very quickly and will communicate to other bugs with the scent they leave to come to join them in your home. You want to remove these critters as soon as you see them.

Plant Mums

The mum plants will keep the ladybug away as they do not like these plants. You can actually protect your house from all kinds of insects with the mum plant. Place them around your windows and doors if possible to ward the ladybug away.

Use Your Vacuum to Remove the Lady Bugs from Indoors

Vacuuming the ladybugs up as soon as you see them is a good way to dispose of them. They will; however, be able to survive this so you need to remove your bag immediately and either seal in plastic or burn it.

Use Diatomaceous Earth Powder

The diatomaceous powder can be spread around the outside of your home’s structure. This will keep the ladybugs from entering at ground level.

Remove the Scent of the Lady Bug Beetle

The ladybug beetle has an offensive odor. You may not notice this smell unless you squash one or they sense danger and emit it. This scent will be used by other bugs in finding your home so getting rid of it will help prevent more from coming. A citrus spray of Wild Orange Essential Oil diluted in water can be used to wipe up the ladybugs and then spray the solution in areas you see them infesting.

Use Cloves

The ladybug beetle does not like the scent of cloves. Place bags of cloves in areas you see them gathering and the scent will help encourage these little bugs to find a new home. Placing cloves on your windowsills will prevent them from wanting to come in and drive them away.

Use Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are another scent the ladybug beetle does not like. Place bags of bay leaves in areas you see them and it will aid in getting them out of your home.

Burn Lemon Scented Candles

Burning a few lemon-scented candles can help chase the ladybugs out. Burning them as often as possible will help you control them.

Use Lemon Scented Cleaner

A lemon-scented cleaner will kill the ladybug beetle. After you have sprayed them you will want to pick up the bugs and dispose of them.

Double-sided Tape

You can place double-sided tape along your window sills and baseboards where you notice the ladybug beetle entering. They will get stuck on the tape and can then be disposed of.

Spraying for Lady Bugs

If you only spray inside your home against the ladybug and not outside; it will do you no good. You must spray outside around the perimeter of your home and especially in the areas such as the top of trees planted close to your home and the outdoor walls of your house. This is a time-consuming project and covering the complete area needed can present quite a challenge.

If you want to stop the ladybug beetle from invading your living space, you are going to have to invest in some time and spray. These are some sprays that have shown effectiveness in preventing the infestation of these miserable bugs:

Onslaught FASTCAP Insecticide

This spray is a fast-acting microencapsulated formula that will kill ladybugs quickly. It is safe indoors and outdoors in non-food areas. It can be applied to any surface that cannot be hurt by water.

Demand CS Insecticide

This is an effective spray against many different insects. It has no odor and is non-staining. The Demand CS can be indoors and outdoors and works well for perimeter control of pests.

The University of Minnesota Extension Department says that while the ladybug beetle is a discomfort to us when they arrive in large numbers, they do not cause any structural damage to our homes, nor carry any disease. There are a few minor problems associated with them as they can bite hard enough to break the skin and secrete a strong-smelling liquid that will stain light-colored surfaces.

These bugs are not what we want to share our homes with. Hopefully one or more of the above tips will help you eliminate and keep these pests out of your home.

Published
Categorized as Lady Bugs

By David Jackson

I enjoy learning about new pest control strategies and sharing what I learn at NeverPest.com. I aim to create a reliable resource for people dealing with all sorts of pest issues.

1 comment

  1. I can vouch for D-Fense, deltamethrin is the best, low to no odor during and after spraying, quick drying, very easy to mix and apply, effective the very next day after application.

    Useful not only for lady bugs, but also for ants, cockroaches, and spiders.

    The only problem with D-Fense, though a stretch to call it like that, is it loses potency with time, so a 2-3 years old D-fense will not yield the same results as when it was new. Still, in my opinion, the benefits outweigh the cost of a new purchase once a year. That is, if the problem persists.

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