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Minnesota Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles

Westside Pest Library

Nope, that’s not a ladybug

Asian Lady Beetles are a nuisance pest in Minnesota and invade homes in the fall, generally right after the soybean crop is harvested around suburban communities. They compete with box elder bugs for prime overwintering spots inside the walls of homes. Homeowners who pick them up will soon learn that they will bite and have a very bad odor.

This insect is about 1/3” long and ranges in color from orange to yellow to red with dark spots on their wing covers. They feed primarily on aphids found on trees, shrubbery, and agricultural crops like soybeans. In the fall they seek out sunny sides of buildings where they enter through small cracks and holes. They do not reproduce inside the walls but their numbers can be significant.

Once these insects are inside the walls of your home, insecticides are of little use. Use a vacuum cleaner to remove nuisance insects. Sealing around the exterior of your home can help reduce the numbers of overwintering pests.

Exterior Treatments

Exterior treatments of insecticides can certainly help reduce the number of pests that enter your home but the treatments need to be carefully timed and properly applied to be of any use. A professional pest management company can help solve this problem and save your time and money.