Blasted Lady Bugs

[dadmomh]

It's been about 4 weeks since our last trip and what with one thing and another we decided this season was done and we'd winterize. We hadn't been in Rocky since we got back other than to run the vacuum. Opened up today and the blasted Lady Bugs have returned. They love the large rear window which gets a lot of sun. DH and I captured a bunch and escorted them out the door, but I even found some in the vents between the screen and the cover and I swear they weren't there last trip. I had planned to ask our bug guy to spray the trailer anyway when he comes this month, but any suggestions on getting them gone? Anyone ever use foggers for this?? I may have to wait for the bug guy, but those little critters multiply like crazy.

[dadmomh]

Rocky had quite a number of whatever-bugs last spring when we officially opened up and we carried them out for days. The cold didn't kill these babies off. Hmmm the slide.....could be. Our bug guy will be here this week or next and we'll see what he has to offer.

[LynnandCarol]

dahkota wrote:
A couple of weeks ago we were at Smoky Mountain National Park. The day was exceptionally warm and breezy. We found a lady bug. Then another. Within an hour, we had dozens. Within two, we had hundreds. We chased out as many as we could and made sure all the screens and vents were tight. The one place we didn't check was where the large living room slide rails were. There is a small gap under the carpet, and that is where many were coming in. By nightfall, the invasion stopped. We carried out lady bugs for two more days after that. The cold weather seems to have killed the rest. We are still finding them but they are dead. We live in our rv so the temp in here rarely gets under 55. I would bet though, if you let it get cold enough inside the rv, they would all die a natural death. Then you just vacuum them up.

No I am afraid that is wrong. They rarely die from cold. I have gone to our cabin in the dead of winter and once the place warmed up they come to life. It can drop below zero and when spring is sprung they wake up and start crawling.

[Caveman_Charlie]

Caveman Charlie wrote:
If they are the orange ones they are called "Chinese Lady Beetles" and they are not native to our hemisphere. They are a pest and can be very, very, terrible. The only thing that kills them is a product called "Tempo" you mix the Tempo in with water , a few ounces does the trick, and then you spray it on the outside of things with a garden sprayer to kill them before they enter the structure. Test it out on your camper somewhere to make sure it doesn't discolor it but, it didn't harm the windows or siding on my house.

I'm sorry, as has been pointed out there called "Asian Lady Bugs". Not Chinese lady bugs as I said. I apologize. If that is what they are there not good for anything. I still say get the Tempo bug killer and spray the outside of your camper.

They have not been so bad the last couple of years but they used to get into my house by the 1000's and I'm not kidding. They left there trails behind and wrecked all my interior paint. They also stink. The Tempo also killed the flies that infest my house every fall. I recently bought some replacement Tempo and spray my house every fall to keep the flies from coming in when the temps start to lower.

[valhalla360]

All I could afford wrote:
When we plant corn and soybeans on the roof, I'll encourage them.

Until then, I prefer to eliminate them.


Pardon me for the silly question, but before we plant The corn and soybeans on our roofs, are we supposed to remove the solar panels?

We're still in the planning stages.

You'll have to ask the guys who recommend keeping them.

[fatboy66]

Some friends had a lady bug problem as well. Nothing they tried seemed to work until nature just took it's course and they finally died. You're in for a long haul I'm afraid.

[rbpru]

A little follow-up from the New York Times in 2002. I will leave you to guess which variety you have locally.

Q. Why have ladybugs changed their colors? Once red, now almost all are orange.

A. There are well over 400 species of ladybugs in North America, but depending on where you live, you may be seeing more and more representatives of the multicolored Asian lady beetle, or Harmonia axyridis. Though their colors can vary widely, from yellow to orange to red to black, orange is common.
Over the last century, this species was introduced into this country both accidentally and purposefully (in some cases by the United States Department of Agriculture) and has established itself in many states. An accidental release from a freighter in New Orleans is suspected as the source of its most recent spread.
The Asian beetle is valuable in controlling crop pests, particularly the aphids that feed on pecan trees, but it has now often become an irritating but not noxious house pest, swarming as it seeks a warm place to spend the winter.

[rbpru]

Here in the Hoosier State lady bugs both red and orange seem to enjoy camping as much as we do. Stink bug also seem to think the accommodations are better at our place. 😞

This year they were not so bad, rather few in number. A few years back they were biblical in proportion.:E

And yes, the orange ones will bite.

[pasusan]

I made one of these out of a clear water bottle to catch stink bugs and any other bug that might get into the camper:



It really works. You scoop them up - they slide down to the bottom and can't climb out.

And... I'm pretty sure you are having trouble with the invasive Asian Lady Bug. Definitely not beneficial.

[Community Alumni]

I wouldn't kill them since they're so beneficial. I wouldn't bug bomb the trailer as it might do more harm than good. They aren't that great for ladybugs and you'll be left with all this pesticide residue everywhere. Shoo them into a box and release them and if necessary just vacuum them. If you vacuum them then don't leave them in the canister. Your nose will fall off of your face when you open it and you'll have to buy a new vacuum lol. Treat them nicely when getting rid of them. When they get stressed or scared then they release this yellowish fluid which stains walls. Look for entry areas (especially around windows) and seal them up to prevent them from getting back in. They're just looking for a place to ride out winter. Once spring hits then they'll be on their merry way.

I remember once my wife and I had a room at a pretty nice hotel that had an infestation. They would crawl on the southern wall and windows. Being the gardener or the house, I thought they were cute and fine with them. The wife was completely grossed out so we had to switch rooms lol.

Maybe you can collect them and sell them to a gardener or someone in Florida. They could use as many ladybugs as they can get. They will eat the citrus psyllid which is slowly destroying the citrus industry down there. We have them in Texas now. The psyllids destroyed one of my lemon trees and a friends tree on the other side of town. I wish I had more ladybugs.

[Caveman_Charlie]

If they are the orange ones they are called "Chinese Lady Beetles" and they are not native to our hemisphere. They are a pest and can be very, very, terrible. The only thing that kills them is a product called "Tempo" you mix the Tempo in with water , a few ounces does the trick, and then you spray it on the outside of things with a garden sprayer to kill them before they enter the structure. Test it out on your camper somewhere to make sure it doesn't discolor it but, it didn't harm the windows or siding on my house.

[dahkota]

A couple of weeks ago we were at Smoky Mountain National Park. The day was exceptionally warm and breezy. We found a lady bug. Then another. Within an hour, we had dozens. Within two, we had hundreds. We chased out as many as we could and made sure all the screens and vents were tight. The one place we didn't check was where the large living room slide rails were. There is a small gap under the carpet, and that is where many were coming in. By nightfall, the invasion stopped. We carried out lady bugs for two more days after that. The cold weather seems to have killed the rest. We are still finding them but they are dead. We live in our rv so the temp in here rarely gets under 55. I would bet though, if you let it get cold enough inside the rv, they would all die a natural death. Then you just vacuum them up.

[dadmomh]

We're huge animal people - most all animals - and would not kill them IF they'll just stay out of Rocky. Can't figure out how they're getting in. When we last camped, don't recall seeing one either inside or out, but we had a bunch show themselves yesterday. Oh, they do love that large rear window. Right now the night shades are down, but am wondering if I opened that one, if the light would encourage them to leave and move on. We spent a lot of time gently ushering each and every one we found out the door and to the gardens, but there'll be a zillion of them in Rocky by spring if we don't do something. So, how does one "trap" these little darlings. We're all for relocation, but have to get out!

[All_I_could_aff]

When we plant corn and soybeans on the roof, I'll encourage them.

Until then, I prefer to eliminate them.


Pardon me for the silly question, but before we plant The corn and soybeans on our roofs, are we supposed to remove the solar panels?

[lots2seeinmyrv]

Bumpyroad wrote:
I'll trade you a million stink bugs for some lady bugs.
bumpy

LOL...I found out what stink bugs are this year moving to Maryland! They are awful.