Lady Bugs

Understanding The Ladybug

Most people know them as ladybugs, not as members of the Coccinellidae family. Some even know them as beetles. Whatever you call these critters, they are ones that can grow anywhere in length from 1/32 to ½ inch. In addition to this, most of them are scarlet, orange, or yellow with small black spots on their wings. The legs, heads, and antennae are also usually black. While there are 5,000 species of ladybugs commonly know throughout the world, there are only 450 species of these bugs native to North American.

Some people will consider these bugs pests while some won’t. It really depends on the situation, as these critters were first introduced as a means of pest and garden control. This is how these bugs got spread to North America in the first place. They have a propensity for feeding on other species like mealybugs, and mites, which are extremely common in orchards and gardens. The Mall of America just recently released a whole slew of these bugs for this very reason.

Why Do San Antonio Homes Have Ladybugs?

Ladybugs were introduced in North American back in the Twentieth Century as a method of aphid control, as was mentioned above. They were introduced to help feed on other problem-causing pests in gardens in orchards. The numbers of these pests have not only grown over the years, but they have grown rapidly. This is likely due to their quick-witted nature. It wasn’t long that these insects learned how to survive the winter. When first introduced, they died out because they didn’t know how to survive the harsh winters. Well, they learned to start seeking out shelter before the winter months approached. And, that’s what they’ll be doing in your home. They’ll be seeking shelter from the upcoming winter months. This means you’ll only find them in the home during the fall.

If they happen to get in the home without your knowledge they’ll likely ride out the winter in the South facing walls.

Do They Pose A Threat?

You just learned that ladybugs enter most homes as a means of seeking shelter to ride out the winter months. While there might be an increasing number of reports of these Asian beetles biting people, they don’t really pose humans or animals a threat. They don’t carry or transmit diseases and the bite is considered more of a nip. They don’t carry any parasites either, so these bugs are more of a nuisance than anything else.

Eliminating Ladybugs

Most people spot ladybugs in the home during the summer months. This is because the bugs have woken up from hibernation and looking for a way out. Sometimes they can get confused and turned around in the home. If you see a ladybug in the home during the summer months, it’s looking to get back outside. If you see on in the home before the winter months, it’s looking for a place to ride out the winter. You can either simply vacuum them back up or just give them a helping hand back outside.

Can I Do It Myself?

From the information above, you can see that ladybugs are a pretty basic insect. Yes, a large presence of the bugs can be a nuisance because there leave behind stains, urine, and feces. Some might even get into and contaminate your food. As far as treatment goes, there are tons of DIY pesticides and treatments available, but if you are at this point, you’ll be best turning to a professional. Someone with experience in dealing with the critter safely. As you can see, these critters can be an asset to the environment.

When Can You Get Here?

Our San Antonio offices are pretty busy all year round. However, we are always more than willing to accommodate and adapt. While we do have emergency services available, we always try to get out to our customer’s properties within 24 to 48 hours after they make that initial contact.

If you have any other pest control issues please check out other services.