Lady bugs might seem cute and harmless, but when there are swarms of them covering your home in the fall, they quickly become an annoyance. If you notice some of these pests starting to flock to your property, there are a few easy ways to deter them from your home, and more importantly, keep them from finding their way inside.
Seal all of the cracks and crevices in your home.
In the fall when lady bugs tend to "swarm," they are looking for places to hibernate over the winter. Your home may be an attractive option for them if it has a lot of little nooks and crannies where they can hide and sleep. So, spend a weekend sealing any crevices on your home. Caulk your windows or apply new weather stripping if needed. If there are holes in your siding, patch them up. Repair damage to any mortar between brick or rock features, too.
Plant mums around your home.
Mum plants repel lady bugs thanks to a certain oil they contain. Thankfully, you can usually find a bounty of these plants for sale at home goods stores and even grocery stores during the fall. Plant one every couple of feet around the border of your home. You can even leave the mums in pots and just set them around. Don't be concerned if the mum plant withers soon after planting. Its scent will still repel lady bugs. Mums are perennials, so they will come back next year and every year after that.
Vacuum up the first ones you see.
Often, a few "scout" lady bugs will arrive and check out a place. If the place is appealing, then a larger group of lady bugs will appear soon after. So if you're noticing a few lady bugs now, try vacuuming them up with a shop vac. Getting rid of these initial lady bugs will help deter others from coming. Burn the vacuum bag that contains the lady bugs to ensure you get rid of them completely. You may need to vacuum them up every day for a while to get the population under control.
Scatter diatomaceous earth (DE) around your home.
DE is a fine powder made from the shells of tiny, sea-dwelling creatures. It won't hurt you, but it will dehydrate the lady bugs' exoskeletons, ultimately killing them. Scatter some DE on the ground around the edge of your home. You can also dust this powder around door frames and windows where the bugs tend to congregate.
If lady bugs still flock to your home in spite of having followed these tips, contact an exterminator or pest control supply company in your area through resources like http://www.asepestandweedsupplies.com.
Share