Ladybugs are one of the most beloved insects, as even those who fear creepy-crawlies don’t seem to mind handling them with their bare hands. Despite their approachable appearance, several ladybug species in the United States are not native to the country, and many species are considered nuisance pests. The most significant ladybug pest is the Asian lady beetle. Although Asian lady beetles are hardly discernible from common ladybug species, they do not cause the same degree of nuisance infestations within homes. Texas did not see major Asian lady beetle invasions into homes and buildings on a mass scale until the 1990’s when their populations seemed to explode in the state and the rest of the country. In recent years, Texas residents have found themselves perplexed by the sudden appearance of the insects within their home during the winter season when insect infestations are not expected to occur in houses.
Although Asian lady beetles were not known for infesting homes until recent decades, one Austin resident and business owner, Cooper Anderson, recalls seeing the insects pour out of the vents of his rural home as a child. In response to the bizarre sight, Anderson’s father told his son that the insects were brought to Texas from a foreign land in order to allow them to prey on crop-damaging aphids. As it happens, Anderson’s father was correct, as the insects have proven effective at saving crops from large-scale aphid damage since the species was introduced into the country as a biological pest control agent many decades ago. This is why Asian lady beetles have long been an insect pest to homes in agricultural regions of the state where Anderson lived as a child. Today, however, Anderson claims that the lady beetles often infest his urban home and even his car.
Asian lady beetles are abundant outdoors during the summer season, but they move into homes once winter approaches in order to find warm shelter. Once spring arrives, the lady beetles emerge from their hiding places in homes where they are often treated as a nuisance by homeowners. While the spring season sees the greatest degree of lady beetle pest activity in Texas homes, the relatively warm climate in many areas of the state can cause infestation problems for homeowners during the winter when the insects scramble into homes.
Have you ever witness a large mass of ladybugs either indoors or outdoors?
