By Richard Fagerlunds
Howard News Service
Q: We moved out to the country last year. When we were looking to buy the house we noticed these ladybugs, but fell in love with the house and figured we would find a way to get rid of the bug. We called a pest-control company. They sprayed every other month for a year. It is now the middle of winter and they are flying in the house. I just cringe at the thought that spring is right around the corner and I know they will soon be flying all over the house again. They don't seem to be harmful, just extremely annoying. We have tried the vacuum cleaner and it works but it seems the vacuum cleaner is running the whole day and we still have them flying all over. When the pest control comes out and spray it kills on contact and supposedly works for 30 days but we are infested the next day. Can you tell me what they are attracted to? A: Asian ladybugs were introduced into the United States to help control other insects and have now become a pest themselves. They enter homes in the fall to over-winter. They will try to leave during warm spring days when you will find them on windowsills trying to get out. There is no control other than vacuuming that will solve the problem once it has manifested itself. The only thing you can do is to prevent a recurrence next fall. To prepare for the fall you will have to completely inspect your home on the outside and seal or screen any opening small enough for a ladybug to get in. The good news is that they can't breed in your house, but they just make themselves a nuisance by their numbers. Large numbers of ladybugs in a home can cause respiratory problems due to the release of volatile defensive chemicals, and ladybugs can bite (nip would be a better word), so they can be rather unpleasant little insects in homes. Readers Tip: I live in a studio apartment in New York City and, like many of my fellow New Yorkers, sometimes have "visitors" -- a/k/a mice, and lots of them. I just wanted to let you know that you don't have to recommend using killer snap traps anymore because there is a very simple way to release mice from glue traps. Once the mouse is trapped you can take it outside, pour a small amount of mineral oil on the base of where the mouse is attached and, with a pencil, gently free it from the trap. We have used this very humane method for several mice. It's easy and ends happily for both parties. (For further information: Richard Fagerlund's book, Ask the Bugman (see Resources, below), is available from the University of New Mexico Press for $15.95, at bookstores and from online book distributors. Send questions for Richard Fagerlund to University of New Mexico Environmental Services, Physical Plant Department, 1818 Camino del Servicio N.E., Albuquerque, N.M. 87131-3500 or e-mail him at fagerlun@unm.edu.)
RESOURCES :
Ask the Bugman! Environmentally Safe Ways to Control Household Pets
Model: 0826328350
Author: Richard Fagerlund B.C.E. with Johnna Lachnit
(2002)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
University of New Mexico Press
Albuquerque, NM 87131-1591
Phone: 505-277-2346
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