asian lady beetle

[BobT]

I did a search for this subject and turned up nothing so I'll post my question.

Anyone know of any good over-the-counter repellents for the asian lady beetles that infest our homes in the fall?

Thanks,

Bob

[Bobby Bass]

do a google search for "asian beetle" several web pages.

[harvey lee]

I bought a packet of dry chemical last fall that you mix with water to spray around foundation,doors windows and vents.It totally stopped any more of these critters from coming in.I bought it from the local fertelizer plant.I dont know if anything else could work any better.You do need to wear rubber gloves when you work with it.It costs approx 10 clams and I will try to get the name of it for you and post it here.

[Eckie]

This may sound a bit strange, but I use bay leaves (yes, the kind one would use for cooking). For whatever reason, the little critters can't stand the odor of the leaves, so I place several near a doorway, put them in a windowsill, etc...wherever they might be getting in. I didn't believe at first either, but it works.

[fishinchicks]

Malathion (spelling?) is supposed to work. Works for crickets and spiders as well. Make sure to spray up on the siding to get where they hide.

We have taken to hiring a pest control company, but then again, we have multi rodent stations set up to protect our seed sheds as well.

[Abrams]

Ortho makes a product that contains Diazanie (SP)it kills both asian lady beetles and box elder bugs dead. I spray it on 2 times in the fall on the south side of my house and goody bye bugs.

[Neiko]

I use a product from Mills called Permictrun (sp?). I have a lot of cluster flies also as well as the beetles and if you spray it now and reaply after 2 weeks it will make a difference. That is the time they start to try and get in for the coming winter. Someone called the U of M and this is what they suggested.

[Jim Almquist]

This is off the U of M HSOforum

Management

Prevention is the most effective step in managing lady beetles. Check the outside of your home for spaces and cracks that may allow insects easy entry. Make any necessary repairs by the end of September.

Install tight-fitting door sweeps or thresholds at the base of all exterior entry doors. Gaps of 1/16 inch or more will permit entry of insects. Seal openings where pipes and wires enter the foundation and siding, for instance, around outdoor faucets, receptacles, gas meters, clothes dryer vents, and telephone/cable TV wires. Holes can be plugged with caulk, cement, urethane expandable foam, steel wool, copper mesh, or other suitable construction sealant. Caulk around windows, doors, chimneys and fascia boards, etc. using a high quality silicone or acrylic latex caulk. Repair gaps and tears in window and door screens. Repair screens in roof and soffit vents, and in bathroom and kitchen fans. Keep siding, eaves and soffits in good repair, replacing damaged areas if necessary, to keep the exterior walls as insect-proof as possible.

Physical exclusion can be supplemented with a residual insecticide barrier. For insecticides to be effective, they must be applied before insects begin to enter buildings, which is early- to mid-October for multicolored Asian beetles. Common examples of insecticides available to the public include those containing bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, or permethrin. Be sure the product you intend to use is labeled for use on the exterior of buildings. Apply the insecticide according to label directions to siding, foundation, windowsills, and door thresholds, paying particular attention to the south and west sides where the insects are most common. You may wish to consider hiring a professional pest control service. They have the experience and access to additional residual insecticides to control lady beetles effectively.

Remove lady beetles found indoors with a broom or vacuum. Indoor insecticide sprays are of very limited benefit. Once lady beetles move into wall voids there is no practical control to prevent them from emerging later during winter or spring. The only control is to remove them as they are seen.