Wildlife

Ladybug Swarms Alarm US Homeowners

Unusually high numbers of non-native ladybugs are moving into homes across a broad swath of the eastern United States as chilly weather sends the insects inside, looking for a warm place to spend the coldest months of the year.

While American ladybugs normally winter under tree bark or fallen leaves, those imported decades ago from Asia to control the aphid population seem more comfortable in the walls of houses.

Entomologists say the Asian ladybugs see those structures as like the rocky outcroppings in which they sheltered back in their native habitats.

Ladybugs are generally beneficial, but can stain household surfaces if frightened, and they do have a bit of an odour in large numbers.

Once inside a home, experts say the best way to remove them is with a vacuum cleaner.

The Asian ladybugs are said to have displaced most of their American cousins in areas where they have proliferated.