2 Ways To Deal With A Ladybug Infestation In Your House
When springtime arrives and you start seeing flowers blooming and begin planting your garden, ladybugs may be a welcome sight because they eat the aphids that feed on your plants. However, you probably do not want hundreds of the insects inside your house. If you are faced with a ladybug infestation, below are a couple of ways you can deal with your unwelcome guests.
1. Vacuum up the Bugs with the Aid of Pantyhose
When ladybugs enter your house, they tend to congregate around the warmest areas, such as sunlit windows and ceilings where the heat gathers as it rises. As an impulse, you may be tempted to start knocking them down and sweeping them up with a broom.
However, do not physically try to remove them with a broom. You may not realize it, but ladybugs have been known to bite when they feel threatened. Also, when they are physically knocked around, they may leave a filmy, yellowing discharge that has an unpleasant odor.
Instead, use your vacuum to get the ladybugs off of your interior surfaces. However, if you simply vacuum them without any type of filter, they may just crawl back out of the cleaner.
Before you use your vacuum, use a knee-high stocking or cut a pair of pantyhose to the knee, and attach it to your vacuum's wand, and stuff the excess down the wand. Then, secure it with twine or a heavy rubber band. When you vacuum, the bugs will be caught in the pantyhose that is easily removed and discarded along with the insects.
2. Wipe down the Surfaces with Vinegar
Once you have vacuumed up as many ladybugs as possible, you need to clean the surfaces thoroughly to help keep others from coming back. While the insects are moving around, they mark ideal spots with pheromones that will attract other ladybugs to your house.
To help cut the odor of the pheromones and remove its residue, wash your windows, ceilings, and any other areas where they were congregating with a solution of one-quarter vinegar and three-quarters water. Once you have done so, let the solution air dry.
Even after using the above tips, you may not be able to get rid of all of the ladybugs clinging to your windows and ceilings. If so, contact a pest control services company, such as Southern Greens Pest Control, so they can determine the extent of the infestation, discover where they are coming in, and devise a plan of action of getting rid of the ladybugs permanently.
