For Release November 12, 2006

Late Season Insect Invaders Still A Problem

AGRI-VIEWS

by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent

Boxelder bugs (a.k.a. democrats) and lady beetles don't really have much in common. Boxelder bugs are true bugs in the insect order Hemiptera. They feed on plants, particularly in the maple family, by sucking plant juices out with their long stylet like mouthpart. Lady beetles are in the insect order Coleoptera. They have biting and chewing mouthparts with which they feed on many other insects, especially aphids. Yes, they will even occasionally bite us. But this time of year they both make a nuisance of themselves by invading homes looking for a good location to spend the winter.

I should make clear that not all lady beetles have this bad habit of coming inside our homes. Most lady beetles prefer to find a nice pile of leaves, or some other accumulation of organic matter, to gather up in, under or around for the winter. But the multicolored Asian lady beetle is different. These little red to yellow lady beetles, with prominent white cheeks, are trying to find the rocky crags and cliffs of their native eastern Asia. When they can't find them, they apparently figure that buildings are the next best thing!

Both of these critters don't seem to show up until we get into some of those warm days of November, like we've seen lately. Once they get into your home, they'll crawl or fly around for awhile until they find some little place to go and settle in for the winter. They don't cause any direct damage in the home, although they can stain curtains, fabrics and walls. Ironically, homes aren't a good choice for these insects to overwinter. Even though the insects are deep into hibernation, they still lose moisture to the surrounding air. In fact, most of our homes are so dry, that a majority of the insects will die of dehydration before they can awaken from their slumber next spring and return to the out doors.

Like all insects, the population of both of these fluctuates from year to year. While I've heard from several homeowners about these pests this fall, they do not seem to be as bad this year as in recent past years, thank goodness. While there are things that we can do to keep them from getting into your home, you are going to have to accept the fact that a few or even quite a few will still get into your house regardless of what you do.

Exclusion is the best solution. Anything that will help weatherproof your house to conserve energy, will also make it harder for the insects to get inside. Make sure that cracks in the foundation are caulked up. Make sure that windows and doors fit tight and that weather stripping is in good order and functioning. Spraying insecticides inside the house is a very ineffective method of trying to control them. Those that get into your house may be best vacuumed up or caught and flushed away.

Exterior sprays will help reduce the problem. Spray foundations, around threshold at all doorways and every place where there are utility entrances. Recent evaluations seem to be giving some preference to the newer synthetic pyrethroid products over the traditional insecticides. These products apparently have more repellent activity that steers the insects away from the treated building. You'll need to look at the fine print on the label, but look for things like cyfluthrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, bifenthrin or deltamethrin. Read and follow the label directions for treating nuisance pests outside the home and be sure to apply to the foundation with lots of water. The good news in all of this is, that as the weather continues to get colder, they will become less active. Until next spring that is!

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