![]() Invaders numbering a hundred or more per day may appear throughout the winter. Clusters of lady beetles estimated to be in the thousands accumulate on the outside of buildings. This species becomes a pest as a household accidental invader in mid-to-late October. Habits: Lady beetles, including the Asian lady beetles, are beneficial they live in the landscape, garden, or fields and eat aphids and other insects. There is a prominent black “W” shape behind the head on most individuals. Color is pale orange with 19 black spots, although some beetles have faint traces of the spots or no spots at all. More information here.Īppearance: Typical ladybug shape (round, domed body) but larger (1/3 inch in length). They often leave a slimy smear and they have a disagreeable odor when squashed or handled. Lady beetles cannot bite or sting, although they may give a mild pinch. Dates of first report in the upper Midwest were 1993 (Wisconsin), 1994 (Minnesota), and 1995 (Iowa). This species is originally from eastern Asia or Japan and is present throughout the eastern United States. Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle, Harmonia axyridis The adults that appear in late summer congregate in large masses in preparation for overwintering during cold-weather months.īoxelder bugs can only feed on liquid food (sap) from the twigs and seeds of trees and shrubs. New adults appear by midsummer and females lay eggs for a second generation that is present in July and August. The host plants do not suffer significant damage. The nymphs are bright red when they hatch and they feed on sap from the plants for approximately 60 days. Although the seed-producing boxelder trees are most attractive, maples and other trees as well as flowers and shrubs may be used. Habits: Adult females lay eggs in early spring (late April–May) on trees, grasses, and other plants. The nymphs (immatures) resemble the adults but are smaller, more rounded, wingless, and bright red. ![]() The slender body is pointed at both ends and grayish black, highlighted with brick-red markings (three red lines behind the head, a red stripe along each side, and a diagonal red stripe on each wing). More information here.Īppearance: Adult boxelder bugs are 1/2 inch in length. Populations are largest following a hot and dry summer. The abundance of this common and well-known insect is extremely variable from year to year. Not all succeed and many remain trapped indoors. When warm spring days arrive, these insects become active and attempt to return to the outdoors. Many find their way into the inside of the house and may appear anytime throughout the winter. However, heat from the sun or a furnace can warm the dormant insects so that they resume crawling. The invaders attempt to overwinter inside the walls until spring. They may continue to move into the living area of a home or they may spend the winter inside the attic or wall voids. From there they crawl under siding and roofing and into cracks and gaps in foundations and around windows, doors, and similar openings. Invasion starts during the late summer or fall when insects that developed outdoors accumulate on the exposed southern and western sunny sides of a building. They are nuisances just by their presence, especially when they occur in large numbers. Accidental invaders cannot reproduce indoors. They cannot sting and they do not carry disease. They do not feed on people, pets, houseplants, stored products, or furnishings. Many species are troublesome during late summer and fall as they move to protected locations to spend the winter.Īccidental invaders are generally harmless to people and property. Accidental invaders are insects that inadvertently enter homes and buildings from the surrounding landscape.
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