Ladybugs

[Shaun]

I have never heard an old wives tale associated with lady bugs before. I have however encountered coming home from work to find the entire ouside of my house covered in lady bugs (or asian beetles ) before. Looks like something out of a horror movie!

 

[NickNack]

I haven't seen lady bugs but I have cluster flies. They are dumb as sin. They sit on my bathroom windowsill and don't even try to fly away when I flick them across the room.

 

[AndyMan]

Please post a picture of the bug for identification, I'm thinkin you're not the only one.
They may be the asian ladybugs, an introduced pest. they will most likely leave on there own as they only eat aphids. Your not raising aphids.... are you?

Here's a picture of two of my little friends. If it were a different time of year I would gladly transfer them to various aphid-covered plants, but here in mid-winter I am fresh-out. What are they eating now, in my windowsill????

 

[RobertBrown]

Here's a picture of two of my little friends. If it were a different time of year I would gladly transfer them to various aphid-covered plants, but here in mid-winter I am fresh-out. What are they eating now, in my windowsill????

Looks like Harmonia axyridis to me
Knowledge is power, find your enemy and defeat him, may luck be with you my friend, godspeed.
Harmonia axyridis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This insect was introduced to control Aphids, another brillant idea. The downside is quite apparent to you but who knows how this thing effects natural cycles as it displaces native ladybugs and is injested by insectavores...could explain recent bird die offs in Arkansas and other places:confused2:.
It's also refered to as "japanese ladybug" along witha half a dozen other names.
This website here is the absolute LAST WORD ON INSECTS Truly a valuble tool to be kept in your favorites tool box. I have used it many times over the years as there seems to knothing they (the insect gods) cannot identify. This is biggest bunch of insect nerds (and I mean that in the most endearing sense) you will find and they are now completely at your disposal. I have submitted dozens of photos for ID and I seldom have to wait more than a few minutes.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/397
Since we have to deal these liitte friends on a daily basis it important to have knowledge like this at your finger tips.

 

[RobertBrown]

:laughing::laughing:that is right both ways...:biggrin:

Touchet KennyV!

 

[JDgreen]

Here's a picture of two of my little friends. If it were a different time of year I would gladly transfer them to various aphid-covered plants, but here in mid-winter I am fresh-out. What are they eating now, in my windowsill????

Hopefully they are not eating anything...I never have a problem with ladybugs or other insects indoors, but in late fall I see thousands of those red and black box elder bugs on our house, the best method to get rid of them is to line a powerful shop vacuum tank with a large garbage bag then use several wand extensions to suck them up. With a little practice and some stealth you can bag (pun intended) most of them. I make a game of it trying to see how many I can capture before one evades the suction....:laughing: