Asian Lady Beetles Triumphant Return To Mt. Juliet

Are you seeing vibrantly-colored beetles appearing inside your Mt. Juliet home? If so, you can be sure that they have been overwintering inside your wall voids all winter. These beetles are not indigenous to the U.S. but were brought to the states by the Department of Agriculture as a form of bioremediation. Their job was to help control crop-destroying aphids, scale insects, and more. But, over time, these beetles became pests themselves. And March is the time of year when they emerge from a long winter absence to crawl around inside homes by the hundreds.

Problems Caused By Asian Lady Beetles

These beetles do not infest wood, eat our food, destroy fabrics or damage property, like so many other household pests that plague Mt. Juliet residents. But they can bite hard enough to break the skin, which causes discomfort. And these bites are incidental since these beetles are merely looking for food or moisture. Another issue they can cause is they sometimes secrete a strong-smelling yellowish liquid from the joints in their legs, which is called reflex bleeding. This yellow substance can stain light-colored surfaces. And, the exposure to dead Asian lady beetles can cause an allergic reaction in some individuals.

Beetle Prevention Tips

• Make sure all of your window and door screens are present and in good working condition. These beetles love to crawl around on screens and will get inside if there are any rips, tears or holes to squeeze through.

• Check all door sweeps and make sure they are present and make a good seal all the way across.

• Inspect weather stripping on sliding doors for damaged bristles.

• Carefully inspect the outside of your foundation and outer walls and seal up any gaps, cracks or holes you find. Pay attention to areas where objects pass through the walls, such as wires or pipes.

• Repair any broken mortar around basement windows.

• At night, keep outside lights off, or replace bulbs with insect-resistant yellow bulbs. These beetles are attracted to light.

• Make sure all gable vents are covered with window-grade screening.

• Partner with a pest control company that can keep these pests from congregating on your exterior walls, so they won't find ways inside.

How All-American Pest Control Can Help

If you are tired of being invaded by these beetles in your Mt. Juliet home every spring, let the team here at All-American Pest Control give you a hand. We can help you get control of those pest problems in spring, summer, winter, and fall. Reach out to us today for immediate assistance.