Ladybugs are beautiful insects and serve a useful purpose in nature. All the same, they can become pests when they invade your home. The yellow liquid they release when they are scared is their blood, and has a scent which protects them from predators but can stain light surfaces in your home. If you are looking for ways to prevent a ladybug infestation, or resolve one if it’s already happened… follow these steps.
Prevention by Home Repair
Cracks around your home’s pipes, windows and doors can offer a point of entry for ladybugs. If you wish to keep these insects out of your home, every crack must be sealed. Exterminators can be hired for this type of job, and they are recommended as it is important that every entry point is completely covered. This is a difficult task for someone with no experience in this area.
Prevention by Choice of Home Décor
Believe it or not, these beautiful bugs also have a distinct taste in regards to the homes they infest. Ladybugs prefer homes that are painted in light colors, especially older homes. Choose darker colors for the outside of your home if you wish to use a simple way to help avoid infestations.
Prevention by Prevention
What does this mean? Well, once your home has been invaded by ladybugs, they leave a chemical scent known as pheromones which basically lets out a call to other ladybugs that this particular location is a great and hospitable place for ladybugs to congregate and live. This scent doesn’t disappear easily and explains why once ladybugs have invaded a home, they often return again and again. If you wish to prevent this kind of long-term problem, your preventative measures must be absolutely foolproof before a “first incident” happens.
Extermination by Using Physical Removal
A shop vacuum can be bought or rented to vacuum up these little critters. This is an easy way to clean large amounts of ladybugs quickly. If you use a clean bag, you can release the ladybugs outside without harming them. Ladybugs can also be easily swept outside with a broom.
Extermination by Black Light Trap
Black light attracts ladybugs. There are traps that use radiating black light to contain these insects once they have been drawn to it. These traps can be bought, or even made if you are especially creative.
Extermination by Diatomaceous Earth
This substance can be sprinkled in areas where ladybugs are congregating. It cuts into the exoskeleton as the ladybugs move over it. This causes the ladybugs to eventually die of dehydration as their bodies can no longer hold in moisture.
Put Them to Use
Ladybugs are helpful in the garden. If you have an infestation in your home, why not move them outside and put them to work? Ladybugs love to eat aphids, and when they live in your yard and garden, they will help keep more destructive bugs under control.
Ladybugs can be a nuisance once they have decided to make your home theirs. Prevention is the best way to keep them from becoming a problem, but there are ways to solve the problem once they have invaded. Use these simple tips to keep ladybugs from coming in, and getting them out once they have already succeeded in doing so.
