These wonderful warm days are a delight. The sunlight and clear air are invigorating, though evening comes too soon, doesn't it? (And this Saturday we go back to standard time, which will make the days seem even shorter.) But I'm not the only one who loves the late October sun. There are annoying critters also enjoying the warm sun a bit too much in my windows: the invasive Asian lady bug known formally as Harmonia axyridis. The New Hampshire Extension calls them "Halloween" ladybugs because they are usually orange, rather than the bright red native ladybugs that they tend to replace, and they show up around the end of October. I tried to take a photo of my window invaders but they are scurrying around, and won't sit still for a proper portrait. The photo to the left is from Penn State's factsheet.
There are a few different stories about how these nonnative ladybugs came to the United States, but there is no question that they like it here. They are looking for places to overwinter, and storm window tracks are favored, as are any crevices in buildings (especially light-colored buildings) with south and southwest exposure. They thus become a nuisance.
Insecticides are not recommended. Crushing them is a Bad Idea. They smell when crushed, and they stain fabric. Vacuuming them is the way to go, but be sure to empty the vacuum cleaner immediately. I dumped the vacuum cleaner canister directly into the trash can and watched as the ladybugs began walking around again.
They'll be back! This will be an ongoing bothersome distraction on otherwise beautiful days. Maybe you like watching them walk around on your windows and walls, but maybe you don't. Either way, you can read a bit more about these critters at the University of New Hampshire Extension Service and Penn State Extension.
Comments