How to Prevent Asian Lady Beetles and Boxelder Bugs Inside

What Asian beetles look like in Central Iowa - Springer Professional Home Services

Here in Central Iowa, sometimes it seems that summer doesn’t quite stick around for long enough. Each year, as temperatures drop into a chilly winter, many kinds of pests seek refuge from the cold in our homes. Two of the most notable of these are the Asian lady beetle and the boxelder bug. If you don’t take the right precautions, these bugs can become quite a nuisance. You can trust the experts at Springer Professional Home Services to teach you how to avoid them in your home or to help you get rid of them once they’ve gotten out of hand!

All About Asian Lady Beetles and Boxelder Bugs

Asian lady beetles are commonly confused with ladybugs but are a different species altogether. Here are some features to look out for to be sure you’re dealing with Asian lady beetles:

  • Their color ranges from yellow to orange, to red, and they have an “M”-shaped mark on the back of their heads
  • They release a smelly, yellow substance when they are threatened or squished
  • You are more likely to find them indoors in the winter than ladybugs or many other pests

Boxelder bugs look quite different but cause the same amount of annoyance in Central Iowa homes. Here’s what to know:

  • Boxelder bugs have primarily black bodies with geometric red lines across their backs
  • They are often found around boxelder trees, as well as maple, ash, and fruit trees
  • Their feces leaves stains inside our homes

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How to Prevent Asian Lady Beetles and Boxelder Bugs

Both of these insects are opportunistic pests. No crevice in your home goes unexplored come wintertime. Here is a list of ways to prevent boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles from entering your home this year:

  1. Inspect your entire property for even the tiniest points of entry into your house
  2. Make sure that the caulk around your molding is intact—seal any cracks on roofing and siding
  3. Put screens on doors and windows or check for tears on existing screens
  4. Keep your yard tidy and your plants trimmed

Taking all of these steps will reduce your chances of an infestation in your home and the chance of these pests populating your yard in the first place.

Pest Prevention Services in Des Moines IA

Whether you want to get a head start on preventing boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles this year or they’ve already taken over your home, Springer Professional Home Services can help. We have been serving businesses and homeowners in Central Iowa since 1989, developing the best pest management systems and technicians in the region. Don’t let Asian lady beetles or boxelder bugs in this year—contact us today for a free quote!

5 Things You Should Know About Asian Lady Beetles

What an Asian lady beetle could look like in Central Iowa - Springer Professional Home Services

It’s easy to see why Asian lady beetles are often confused for ladybugs – they look a lot alike, are about the same size, and have similar names. However, they are different insects altogether, and each displays different patterns of behavior. The ladybug is a helpful aid to keep around in your garden, but the lady beetle can be an odorous pest when inside the home. Keep reading to learn more about the differences between the two in Central Iowa and what makes Asian lady beetles noteworthy.

Ladybugs and Lady Beetles – What’s the Difference?

When it’s warm out, ladybugs like to hang out in our gardens, eating aphids, mites, and other damaging garden pests. They then retreat to secluded places to overwinter in hiding. On the flipside, Asian beetles compete with ladybugs for resources, but then try to sneak into our homes when the temperatures drop. Effectively, a lady beetle problem leads to an unhealthy garden and a nuisance in the home.

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5 Things to Know About Asian Lady Beetles

Asian lady beetles set themselves apart from ladybugs and other insects in Central Iowa in several ways. Here are 5 things to know about Asian beetles:

  1. Their scientific name is harmonia axyridis, and they belong to the same order as ladybugs. They are also known as Japanese beetles and Japanese ladybugs.
  2. Their color ranges from yellow, to orange, to red, but they always have a black and white marking forming an “M” on their heads.
  3. As you would imagine, their name indicates that they come from Asia. They were brought over intentionally in the 1960s by the Department of Agriculture to help control agricultural pests.
  4. They prefer to seek shelter indoors during the winter as opposed to overwintering outdoors like similar insects.
  5. If threatened or squished, they will release a yellow, foul-smelling substance. You can use a vacuum to get rid of them while avoiding this stench.

How to Get Rid of Asian Beetles

You can prevent an Asian lady beetle problem in the house with the same strategies that prevent other pests – sealing off cracks in foundation, placing screens on doors and windows, and using EPA-approved pesticides. If you’ve tried these techniques and Asian beetles are still making their way into your home somehow, tell your local pest control company about your problem. The beetle control experts at Springer Professional Home Services have been trained in the most effective and ecologically sensitive methods of pest control viable in Central Iowa. Reach out today for a free quote or to learn more about the Asian lady beetle!