With autumn comes the fun, the productive and the unwelcome — candy for kids, harvest for farmers and a pumpkin-like bug looking for a place to spend the winter.

Once again, thousands of the orange ladybug, aka the Halloween beetle, are attempting to make the homes of many Hoosiers its dwelling until spring. Dr. Timothy Gibb of Purdue University said in the past few weeks he has received “tons” of calls about the invading bugs.

Gibb, an integrated pest management specialist, says people are concerned about what the bugs are, where they are coming from and more importantly how to get rid of them. He typically has answers for their questions, just not always the ones the callers want to hear.

The orange ladybug is actually an Asian lady beetle, a species introduced in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a control agent for aphids and other soft-bodied insects that can be harmful to crops. This time of year, the beneficial bugs are seeking a safe place to hibernate, and buildings throughout the Midwest provide many suitable cracks and crevices.

The migration from the farm fields and forests is an annual phenomenon that is triggered by the first cold snap, Gibb said.

“At that point, they’re not feeding. They’re not reproducing. They’re simply looking for a crack or crevice to crawl into with their little friends and pass the winter,” Gibb said.

As indicated by their name, the beetles originate from Asia, where they normally find cliffs and caves to congregate throughout the winter months. Since Indiana lacks those features, the next best thing is buildings.

The mass movement creates a daily headache for many residences. And, once a good spot is discovered, the beetles emit a pheromone that attracts even more. The infestation is not welcome.

Jr. Campbell, president of Indiana Pest Control out of Kokomo, has also received numerous calls. He said this is the peak season for the beetles and right now reports top those of any other pests known to invade people’s homes and businesses this time of year, including spiders, mice, box elder bugs and cluster flies.

Asian lady beetles follow lines and contours of a structure until they find an opening, which are the areas Indiana Pest Control targets with pesticides. Campbell says the bugs are persistent and no building is off limits.

Last year, his company dealt with an infestation at a local hospital where the bugs got into a surgical room. Campbell said they discovered that the beetles entered through the lighting, which is now sealed off to prevent further problems.

State entomologist Philip Marshall says he gets lady beetles in his home. For the best non-chemical removal method, he suggests using a vacuum cleaner to suck them up.

So, are they harmful?

Gibb says usually not, but they are willing to deliver a pinch. In addition, smashing them is not recommended.

According to a study published by Purdue University, the Asian Lady beetle does not eat structural wood while overwintering and only causes damage to a home when they are disturbed. They have the ability to excrete a substance with a pungent smell that can stain fabrics and wood. The smell also attracts more beetles.

Their activity generally ceases when temperatures drop, but homeowners have not seen the last of the Asian lady beetle, Gibb said. Come spring, the ones that made it through the winter reemerge to make the journey back to the fields to lay eggs.

The Asian lady beetle has been in Indiana about 10 years. The annual frustration, as some call it, is something Hoosiers just have to deal with.

“They are something we want people to live with a little bit because they are the good guys,” Marshall said. “They’re a nuisance to us because they need a place to go for the winter time, and unfortunately they’re not snowbirds and they don’t really move their RVs south.”



Want to know more?

• For additional information about Asian lady beetles and other invasive species, call the Indiana Department of Natural Resources toll-free at 866-663-9684 or visit Purdue’s entomology department Web site at www.entm.purdue.edu.



What to do

In order to fend off the migration of Asian lady beetles, Dr. Gibb suggests the following tips:

• Seal up cracks and crevices around the exterior of your home.

• Keep windows and doors closed.

• Use pesticides on the outside of homes.

• For the beetles that make it indoors, use a vacuum cleaner to suck them up then discard them.



Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com.