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Ladybug
Characteristics –
Size: Usually about 1/4-inch in length and round in shape.
Color: Many colors, but wings are usually red or orange.
The number of spots present will vary or the wings may have no spots at all.
Behavior –
A number of insects have discovered that heated buildings are ideal for
surviving the cold of winter. Such pests include ladybugs, box elder bugs and
cluster flies. As the weather cools in late summer and early fall, the sun warms
the southern and western walls of buildings. The warmth attracts these insects
to buildings where they crawl inside cracks and stay there for the winter. This
would be fine, but during warm winter days, some insects "wake up" and
end up on the inside of the building.
Habitat – Ladybugs are predators of aphids and other plant
pests so they may be found on a wide variety of plants outside.
Tips for Control – The best way to control such pests is by
prevention, as described below. If it's too late and they are already inside, it
takes a professional to find and treat the right areas to minimize the numbers
of pests seen inside. If your home has experienced a problem with overwintering
pests, take the following steps next summer to prevent a recurrence:
 | Seal as many cracks and holes on the outside of the home as possible,
especially on the south and west walls where the sun heats the home during
the late summer and fall.
| Be sure that all foundation and attic vents have tight-fitting screens.
| Check the soffit vents and any gable vents or turbine vents on the roof.
| Have your Carson professional treat the outside west and south walls of
the home near the eaves. This treatment should be completed in mid- to late
August. |
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