How to Easily Get Rid of Ladybugs in Your House
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Ladybugs are adorable, as long as they’re outside. If you notice them collecting on your counters, floors, or walls, that’s a whole new ball game—one that will have you wondering how to get rid of ladybugs, fast. Before you go smashing them with a fly swatter, though, keep reading for all you need to know about ladybug infestations—and ladybugs’ importance to the bug world.
Meet the Experts: Kristian Holstrom, a program associate in the pest management office at Rutgers University; Howard Russell, M.S., an entomologist at Michigan State University; Nancy Troyano, Ph.D., a board-certified entomologist and director of operations education and training for Rentokil North America, et al; Wizzie Brown, a senior program specialist in entomology at Texas A&M University; Gale Ridge, Ph.D., an associate scientist with the entomology department at Connecticut’s Agricultural Experiment Station
The little beetles might find their way inside because they go through a hibernation-like phase called diapause or overwinter, during which they seek a warm, cozy spot to hunker down and live off of their own energy reserves through the colder months, explains Kristian Holstrom, a program associate in the pest management office at Rutgers University. He points out that ladybugs tend to move en masse. “They communicate with each other via pheromones, so they release an odor to tell the other ones that this is a good spot,” he says.
However, some types of ladybugs are more likely to invade homes than others—so it’s important to get your facts straight before indiscriminately exterminating them.
What are ladybugs, again?
Ladybugs—which are not all female, by the way—are actually called lady beetles and they belong to the family Coccinellidae, according to Howard Russell, M.S., an entomologist at Michigan State University. In Europe, ladybugs are called “ladybirds,” says Nancy Troyano, Ph.D., a board-certified entomologist and director of operations education and training for Rentokil North America. Gale Ridge, Ph.D., an associate scientist with the entomology department at Connecticut’s Agricultural Experiment Station, adds that they are beneficial insects—they feed on pest insects known as aphids, and therefore, they should be protected whenever possible.
How to identify ladybugs
There are many varieties of these critters. Troyano points out that there are more than 500 different types of bugs that we tend to call ladybugs. However, native ladybugs are usually less than a ¼ inch long and have a roundish shape with an orange or red back, Russell says.
Ladybug vs. Asian lady beetle
The species of ladybug most likely to invade indoors is the multicolored Asian lady beetle, a non-native species, explains Ridge. They are usually more yellow or orange in color than the storybook red, round ladybug, and are typically a bit bigger and oval-shaped than a native ladybug, per the Minnesota State Horticultural Society. Their tell-tale signifier is an M-shaped marking at the spot where their head meets their wings. See below:
Signs of a ladybug infestation
Again: “Most species of ladybugs do not infest buildings,” says Ridge. “They are not infesting insects in the true sense of the word.” However, Asian lady beetles may enter buildings to overwinter, where they might fly in clusters or collect on surfaces like window sills and light fixtures, says Wizzie Brown, a senior program specialist in entomology at Texas A&M University.
“The problem is, when they come into your house, it messes up the whole mechanism of diapause,” adds entomologist Roberto M. Pereira, Ph.D., a research scientist with the University of Florida. “They expect to find someplace to hide but they come in and it’s warm. They end up trapped inside the house where there is good ‘weather.’”
How to get rid of ladybugs in your home
You have a few options for getting rid of ladybugs in your home. But, while you might read online that certain herbs and essential oils will help keep ladybugs away, Holstrom says those hacks are unlikely to be helpful.
Try these tricks instead:
Vacuum them up. The safest and most efficient way to get rid of ladybugs in your home is to simply to vacuum them up, Troyano says. Meaning, use the nozzle of your vacuum or handheld and just suck them up as you see them. “Make sure to empty the vacuum canister outside so the ladybugs don’t reemerge inside the home,” adds Brown.
Scoop or sweep them. If you just spot one or two ladybugs, Pereira recommends simply brushing them into a container and escorting them out, allowing them to do their work outside. “They do fly, so you have to move fast,” Troyano warns.
Use a special spray outdoors. Holstrom points out that ladybugs are beneficial insects that like to eat pests, so killing them isn’t ideal. But, if you can’t take the situation anymore, he suggests using a spray outside your home like Ortho Home Defense. “Spray it around surfaces where they might enter your house,” Holstrom says. The spray leaves a residual behind that can be toxic to the ladybugs, he explains.
One thing you definitely don’t want to do is squish these bugs, Pereira says. “They have juices inside that will stain fabric and other things,” he points out. Asian lady beetles are also known to emit an offensive odor.
If you’re seeing high numbers of ladybugs inside and these techniques aren’t doing the trick, Troyano recommends calling an exterminator for help. “Your local pest control expert can conduct a thorough inspection of your property and put a prevention program in place before a problem arises to help keep these pesky pests out,” she says.
How to prevent ladybugs
Ladybugs like to settle somewhere there’s a void, like window and door seals. “However, clusters of insects have been found on exposed surfaces in attics, false ceilings, and crawlspaces,” Troyano says.
She and Brown recommend doing a few things to keep ladybugs out:
Inspect your home for cracks, holes, and other spots ladybugs could squeeze into. If you can, seal any holes or cracks you find.
Make sure your windows and door frames are sealed tightly.
Install door sweeps beneath gaps under your doors, including your garage door.
Repair any holes and tears in window screens.
Use sealant around pipe and wire penetrations.
Cover vent areas in the attic or soffit areas with a fine mesh screening.
Give outdoor plants a good inspection for ladybugs before bringing them inside.
Trim trees and shrubs that touch or overhang your home.
If you have the time and money (and are really experiencing a ladybug issue), Holstrom suggests removing the siding around your windows and sealing them from the outside. “The boards that encase your house have small gaps around the windows,” he explains. “The beetles get behind your siding and penetrate your house through those gaps. There are inevitably little spaces where they can creep out behind your trim and into the house.”
What attracts ladybugs?
Ridge says light-colored buildings with a higher UV reflection seem to attract Asian lady beetles in the fall. Otherwise, it depends on the time of year. When ladybugs are active, they go where the food is, Brown explains. When they’re looking for a place to overwinter, they’re attracted to a nice cozy space.
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