Illinois, Those May Not Be Ladybugs All Over Your House
Pretty little bugs taking over your walls lately?
Social media posts have mentioned ladybugs nearly swarming houses in Illinois and the Midwest lately. They're cute bugs but it's getting annoying to see them en masse.
As NBC Chicago reports, they may not actually be ladybugs.
What They Are
They're probably not ladybugs and are instead Asian lady beetles, also called Halloween lady beetles or Japanese lady beetles. They're often orange or yellow with 19 black spots. They have an obvious 'M-shaped' black marking on their heads.
Why They're In Everyone's Houses Right Now
Basically: they're cold and they start seeking shelter around Halloween.
Peggy Anesi, a natural resources, environment and energy educator with the University of Illinois, wrote:
Like many insects, the lady beetle starts seeking small crevices to gather in large numbers and begin diapause, the name for insect hibernation. They often inadvertently crawl into basements through cracks in the foundation...The Asian lady beetle’s self-invitation causes my phone to ring as early as Halloween. Most people, not so much a naturalist, won’t tolerate even a single bug in the house so imagine the call when someone locates an entire yard full of lady beetles in the corner of their basement.
And experts say once they're there, they're there until winter or spring. You won't be getting them to leave.
Harmful Or Chill
They're annoying in large numbers but experts say they're not harmful to humans or pets. But they can stink.
They emit a "strong-smelling yellowish liquid" that can stain light-colored surfaces if you disturb them. That's their defense mechanism.
You're past the season for preventing them. That's best done at the end of September. The bugs can fit through an opening 1/8 of an inch wide.