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NEW CANAAN, Conn. If you have a few cracks or crevices in your home, expect a few multicolored visitors to make your place their place this fall.
Homes in New Canaan and throughout Connecticut will likely be visited by multicolored Asian lady beetles, also called Chinese ladybugs, as they seek shelter from the cold.
Asian lady beetles are an invasive species usually found in leaf litter and meadows in the spring and summer feeding on aphids and reproducing. They are usually not a problem to humans, said Keith Marshall, director of education at the New Canaan Nature Center. But they can be a pest to homeowners as days get shorter and the weather cools, and in the spring when they want to be outside again.
Theyre not native, but they cluster around peoples homes, said Marshall, who added that the nature center received about a dozen calls last year from residents whose homes had been invaded. Marshall said the Asian beetles' behaviour is different from that of American ladybugs, who tend to stay outdoors and not swarm in peoples homes.
The Asian lady beetles, which usually have a telltale M near their head, are not harmful to humans. But they do have an unpleasant smell, the product of a fluid they emit to protect themselves, the naturalist said. They are usually attracted to lighter-colored homes, such as those painted white or light gray.
Kimberly Stoner, an associate scientist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven, said Asian lady beetles can be found throughout the state. And they are beneficial because they feed on larvae and other smaller insects that can damage certain plants. Their larvae are quite voracious predators, she said.
The best way to handle Asian lady beetles once they get into your home is to vacuum them and send them back outdoors. Marshall said its smarter just to seal any cracks or other small entry points. Before September hits, seal them up, he said.
Have you had Asian lady beetles in your home? How did you handle them? Leave a comment below or share your lady beetle tales on our Facebook page.
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