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Asian Beetle vs Ladybug Beetle discussion

Started by WEBellSystemChristian, December 17, 2017, 12:28:52 PM

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WEBellSystemChristian

This isn't specifically weather-related, but it does sort of relate to Fall in Wisconsin.

For those of you who don't live in Wisconsin (or live somewhere where the sighting of a Ladybug is considered good luck), we get an incredible amount of Ladybugs migrating here every Fall, where they find their way inside houses to keep out of the cold, but end up dying anyway. Those who survive do what they can to feed off the piles of the dead for a few weeks, but die anyway. We get at least several thousand Ladybugs per year that get into the house, leaving us to vacuum piles of them off every horizontal space above head height (cabinet tops, light fixtures, blinds, door/window trim, etc). Open a window after Ladybug Season, and you get a mix of fifty dead and living Ladybugs raining down on your head. It's even worse for our house, which is made up of timber frame wood beams inside. Good luck making a  20 foot long vacuum attachment for that!

My Dad and I are installing light fixtures in my sister's room. We were wondering how Ladybugs were getting in her room a few months ago, which is pretty much sealed off from the outdoors. We found the answer today when we removed the old ceiling fixture!

This problem was a lot worse 12-13 years ago. I remember several days a year at the house we used to live in before moving 10 years ago when every room in the house would be almost totally dark. Ladybugs covered every window in the house from the outside, trying to find a way in! There aren't any Aphids for them to eat anymore, so the population is slowly dying off year by year.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

jsowers

We have ladybugs in NC too, but not to that degree. They love the side door to my mom's house because it's west-facing and they come in and make themselves at home on the light fixtures. Mom has an old cranberry glass hanging light from a church mounted over the dining table and ladybugs boogie up and down the chains and around all the circular metal parts of the shade and mounting hardware. Around and around. Then they go to the main overhead den light fixture, which is opal glass and warmer, to die. We have to clean it out once a year. Mom tries to steer the bugs onto her enclosed porch where they can find aphids on some of the plants that are over-wintering, but the bugs like the warmth of the den better. The thing we don't like is sometimes they like to drop into the food on the table, and you don't want to eat one of those critters.

Mom gets the dustbuster and tries to collect them and release them on the porch, but they just go back to the light fixtures when nobody is looking.

At least they're not stink bugs.
Jonathan

WEBellSystemChristian

#2
I noticed the accent lights (half bowl-shaped pieces of frosted glass mounted to the wall) in the upstairs hallway haven't been cleaned in awhile--there's close to an inch thick layer of Ladybugs sitting in the bottom of each! I guess it makes sense--the beetles see light, they fly around it until they die, and fall into the half-bowl.

I find it's pretty easy to get rid of one if it's somewhere you don't want it to be. Just flick it across the room! It's amazing how far they fly if you hit it just right! :D
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

19and41

A number of years back I worked in a shop building that was overrun with ladybugs one year.  they came in from up above the drop ceiling and streamed down the walls,  across the floor, to the garage bays then out to seek their fame and fortune.  One other thing they did that I had never heard of before was to start eating on me.  If they got on my neck or arms they would take a bite out of me and it hurt!
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

TelePlay

Quote from: 19and41 on December 17, 2017, 09:44:52 PM
One other thing they did that I had never heard of before was to start eating on me.  If they got on my neck or arms they would take a bite out of me and it hurt!

There are two different species in the Ladybug (they are beetles) area, the "native" species which was introduced to the US around 1900 to eat aphids. They are a darker red with fewer spots and are quite docile. The Asian Ladybug is lighter to orange with more spots and a white face and if they are bugged or want something or need to be somewhere, they will bite. I was aware of both and just did a google to verify those facts that were stuck in my mind from dealing with both in the 90s when listing homes for sale and holding open houses (and having to deal with these bugs at times).

AE_Collector

#5
Ladybugs exist here in the "wet coast" (very accurate today) as well but in most cases we will only see the odd one in any given area. Traditionally we had just the smaller red ones that as John says are quite docile. But in the last few years we have begun to see a larger variety that are very dark red or maybe black and yes they can bite.

Terry

TelePlay

There is a difference in appearance with the Asian having a "W" on its face and a lot more spots in rows. The Ladybug is darker red with fewer random spots and has mostly a black face.

WEBellSystemChristian

Not to split hairs, but Asian Beetles and Ladybugs are both members of the Ladybug family. Calling either one a "Ladybug" is correct, but the dead ones found in the light fixture appear to be Asian Beetles.

I have to be honest when I say that I have never been bitten by an Asian beetle. I had heard stories of them biting, but didn't know it was true.

Maybe they're afraid to bite me--they don't want to end up on the bottom of my shoe or in the next room! ;D
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

Nick in Manitou

We were hiking a number of years ago on the top of Mt Herman (just north of Colorado Springs, CO) and came across several small bushes about 2 ft tall or so, that were completely covered with ladybugs. I mean that you couldn't see any of the branches of the bush at all...the ladybugs were at least one layer thick on every bit of the bush and on the ground around the base of the plants.

There were enough of them that the smell they make made one want to stay away from them!

Nick

twocvbloke

And just to throw a spanner in the works, us brits call them Ladybirds, didn't really notice many here this year though...

AE_Collector

Quote from: WEBellSystemChristian on December 17, 2017, 10:49:51 PM
Maybe they're afraid to bite me--

They have nowhere to store telephones so don't want to risk a Phoneitis infection.

Terry

19and41

If they should bite you there will be no question in your mind.  ;D
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

TelePlay

#12
Yes, they are both beetles in the family, just two variations of that family of beetles. They call the family species introduced to the US about 1900 to control aphids instead of using chemicals the native species.

I think the Asian was considered an invasive species that got into the US  by hitching a ride in stuff coming from the far east. The Asian is not of good use as the native species has been.

I've been bit. It hurts. Won't miss the feeling. A very sharp pain, almost like a sting. Thought I had a native one on me so let it sit on my arm to watch it. My error. Use to handle the native species all the time in the 50s and 60s. They were considered good luck. Got bit about ten years ago. Didn't know the difference until then. Do now.

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: AE_Collector on December 17, 2017, 11:18:23 PM
They have nowhere to store telephones so don't want to risk a Phoneitis infection.

Terry
Well, in that case, they could literally be called the Telephone-Collecting Bug! ;D

Thanks for splitting the topic, John.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

19and41

Down here, I've seen 2 types of the bugs, one being the ones depicted as ladybugs, and a further variety, having a single spot on either side in the mid section.  They both seemed to be present the year there was a load of them and the time I was first bit.  I can't be too angry over the bites, if they went after pest bugs with such zeal, they're doing just fine.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke