Are there any good ways of getting rid of ladybugs? There are dozens of them living on the outside walls of my house. I’d prefer non-poisonous solutions since there is a stray cat that hangs around the place where the ladybugs congregate.
I’m sure they would leave on their own when it gets cold enough, but I want them out of here now. They might be beneficial, but they’re also horrible little creatures that have overstayed their welcome. These aren’t the tiny red bugs that used to be around years ago and never caused any harm, they’re large orangish things that bite.
If you are having a ladybug problem then you probably have a worse problem. Ladybugs feed on other insects. I love to give them free reign…especially in my garden. The eat the mites, lice, and aphids that would harm my plants. Once the ladybugs have devoured the insects they are feeding on they should leave. You might have termites and if so they are helping you. It could be any number of small pests but they aren’t there for NO reason. If you just want them to leave and not poison them or endanger the cat. Simply wash the house with warm soapy water until they leave. THEN plant some Marigolds around the house. It’ll help keep the pests away. I have a few citronella pots that I burn sometimes…but the Marigolds work very well.
good luck and BTW there are some pesticides that are safe for pets.
Are you sure it’s lady bugs and not Japanese beetles? J. beetles are lady bug look-a-likes, tan/orange with black spots. They are evil vile creatures that bite. I’ve not found anything to get rid of them. They are so bad that sometimes we are forced inside to get away from them. And they smell really bad when you squish em.
Ignore my last post. Just googled J. beetles and it appears that my expert on the orange with black spot bug problem wooshed me. :smack: That’s what I get for not researching the problem myself,doh.
You have the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, also here . They’re looking for a place to hibernate. There’s not much you can do to keep them off your house. Don’t try to sweep them off! They’ll exude a stinky, yellow fluid. Most cites recommend caulking and otherwise sealing the exterior of your home to prevent them getting inside the walls.
Is that the smell I’ve been smelling? I’ve had an awful odor periodically in my house the last couple weeks, coinciding with a ladybug invasion. I’ve washed the dogs bedding, scrubbed floors but it keeps coming and going. I haven’t been able to figure it out. I’m not the world’s best housekeeper, but my house doesn’t usually smell. But these bugs are insidious. Inside, outside, on the curtains and ceilings. And floor, where they sometimes get stepped on. Ugh. And my house is 150 years old, with wood siding. I don’t think there’s enough caulk in the world.
