Minnesota Multicolored Asian Beetles Pest Control
Not all bugs are as cute as these!
Homeowners often express concern and aggravation with these nuisance pests. During late autumn, homeowners complain that Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles cluster on the sides of houses; “crunch” under foot; get into food and drinks; alight on hands, arms, and other parts of the body; and sometimes enter the ears and mouth. The lady beetles can be so numerous that they appear to be “raining” outdoors or swarming like bees.
Life Cycle and Habits
The multicolored Asian lady beetle is similar to other familiar lady beetles commonly found throughout the United States. Like the familiar lady beetles, the multicolored Asian lady beetle feeds on insect pests in orchards and forests but may also occur on row crops and in gardens.
Lady beetles have four distinct life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The multicolored Asian lady beetle adults begin laying eggs on host plants in early spring. Eggs hatch in about three to five days, and larvae begin searching on plants for aphids and other soft-bodied arthropods on which to feed. Adults and larvae typically feed upon the same prey. Larvae molt four times, becoming larger after each molt, and enter an immobile pupal stage after the last molt.
After several days, the adult beetle emerges from the pupal case. Development time from egg to adult requires about 15-25 days depending on temperature and food availability. Later in the fall, near the time of killing frosts, the adult beetles seek shelter to spend the winter.
Large lady beetle populations typically build up during cool, wet summers that favor tender foliage and large aphid infestations. The life cycle from egg to adult requires about a month or so, depending on the weather. Eggs hatch in 3 to 5 days. Larvae feed for 12 to 14 days, during which time they consume large numbers of aphids, scale insects, and other soft-bodied insects. Pupation lasts 5 to 6 days until adults emerge. The adult stage is the longest with some lady beetles living up to 2 or 3 years.
Identification
The name “multicolored” refers to the many different color forms of the adult lady beetles. Color variants found in the United States are different shades of yellow, orange, or red, either with or without black spots on the wing covers. Some have 19 black spots while others have faded spots that vary in number and size. On the white pronotum (top covering of middle body part), many have several spots that fuse into a regular- to irregularly-shaped “M.”
Adult multicolored Asian lady beetles are approximately 0.2 to 0.3 inches long. They are typical of many other lady beetle species, with a domed, round to oval shape. Particularly in outdoor situations, the multicolored Asian lady beetle may be confused with other types of lady beetles, including native species, which also are various shades of yellow, orange, red, or black, either with or without spots. A guide to identification of various lady beetle species
In spite of their important role in nature, multicolored Asian lady beetles can be seasonal pests in and around homes, particularly from late autumn until early spring.
Timing
Timing is very important, and preventive treatments should be done prior to overwintering attempts by the lady beetles. If the chemical is applied after the first cold snap of autumn, lady beetles that already have congregated will be unaffected. If applied too early, the chemical may degrade and lose its effectiveness against the lady beetles.
The good thing is, these Asian Beetles are harmless. They carry no diseases, and the worst they can do is pinch you causing slight discomfort. Another relief is that they will not damage your property.
Hiring a professional pest control service, is your best bet in getting rid of these overwhelming bugs. They come in huge swarms, and no matter how many you get rid of, more keep coming! When hiring Minnesota Pest Control Expert they will usually guarantee to exterminate all these pests using our less toxic organic product line.
