If you’re a gardener, you may welcome the sight of ladybird beetles in your garden. In both their larval and adult stage, ladybugs devour aphids, scales, and other pests that can harm plants.
The beetles are actually harvested in some areas (like the California foothills) and sent all over the U.S. for use as a natural insecticide.
Ladybugs can be a nuisance, though, if large numbers move inside your home in the fall, seeking out a warm place to spend the winter. If you disturb them and they get stressed, they can excrete a yellowish blood that stains walls.
What Do Ladybugs Look Like?
It’s fairly to recognize most members of the ladybird beetle family. They have:
- Red, yellow, or orange bodies
- Small black spots on their wings
- Short black legs
- Small head with dome-shaped body
- Black antennae
But don’t be fooled; there are some ladybird beetles that don’t have spots, and there are other insects that look like ladybugs and aren’t.
It’s fairly to recognize most members of the ladybird beetle family. They have:
- Red, yellow, or orange bodies
- Small black spots on their wings
- Short black legs
- Small head with dome-shaped body
- Black antennae
But don’t be fooled; there are some ladybird beetles that don’t have spots, and there are other insects that look like ladybugs and aren’t.
Ladybug Facts
During her lifetime, a female ladybug can produce yellow egg clusters, which she lays under a plant or stem close to mites or other food sources. The insects hatch into alligator-shaped, dark grey and orange larvae. They go through a pupa stage before emerging as adults and living for about a year.
Ladybird beetles are voracious eaters. Larvae can eat up to 400 aphids, and adult ladybugs can devour more than 5,000 aphids during their lifetime.
Ladybugs emit a strong odor, and their bright color helps keep predators away. They are also a food source for several creatures, including:
- Birds such as martins, swallows, swifts, and crows
- Other insects, including dragonflies, ants, and wasps
- Reptiles, including anoles
- Amphibians, like tree frogs
As a Home Protection Plan customer, if you’re not satisfied with our pest control service, we will service your home at no additional cost until your issue is solved or receive your money back from your last scheduled service.
When it comes to keeping ladybugs out of your home, prevention is your best method of defense. We recommend fixing broken window screens, repairing door jams, and plugging cracks in the foundation of your home. All of these things will prevent ladybugs from sneaking in.
If these pests have somehow found their way in already, vacuuming them up is always an option. Though this is a fine temporary solution to get rid of a few of them, it’s better to give Brody Brothers a call.
Call Brody Brothers for Ladybug Extermination in the Baltimore Area
Though ladybugs are relatively harmless, they can be very annoying if they find their way into your home. Instead of trying to figure out how to eliminate them on your own, give Brody Brothers a call. Our trained pest control professionals are eager and ready to assist you.
To schedule ladybug removal in your Baltimore area home, give us a call now at (410) 653-2121 or contact us online today!
