Topic: Halloween News - Ladybug, ladybug, don’t fly into our home . . . - Providence Journal
Harmonia axyridis for short, these lady beetles have this annoying, innate habit of migrating indoors come Halloween (thus another common name, Halloween lady beetle, in addition to Japanese lady beetle) and again in the spring, as the daytime temperatures warm. This is why they tunnel into the cracks and crevices of siding, foundations and window casements, as well as vents in the attic, dryer and chimney. Within a week, the larva pupates into the adult, which is able to chow down on nearly 300 aphids in a day’s dinner; multiply that by their average life expectancy — when conditions are to their liking, of nearly three years — and you’ve got one serious predator. The lady beetle made famous by the song “Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home” is the convergent lady beetle (Hippodamia convergens), which has a maximum of 13 spots and a tell-tale black head with white markings. If the thought of sharing your space with them is more than you can bear, take your vacuum, cover the hose end with a nylon stocking (this part is important), turn on and gather the beetles; turn off over an open can so they can tumble in. More Halloween News