I'm not sure if you've noticed, but ladybugs have become a bit of a problem lately, travelling in swarms and infiltrating your home whenever they see an open door or window.
As the weather has begun to turn colder, they're seeking solace inside your home for a new cozy environment to live in. But, because of how fast they reproduce, an infestation can quickly happen when you start to notice them around your home.
Sure, they're not too much of a nuisance in small numbers, but once they start to multiply, they can stain your home. And then, there's the Asian lady beetles, also known as a Harlequin ladybug. While they look a lot like a common ladybug, there's a few differences, like being more of an orange color. They're a lot more of a problem — emitting a foul smell, and even biting.
How it works
Influencer @downtoearthjill has over 20k followers on her TikTok account where she posts homemade recipes & DIY natural products, but it's her hack on getting lady beetles (and ladybugs) out of her home naturally that's one of the most watched videos on her page, coining it as "the only tip that has actually worked."
She explains that all you have to do is fill up a plastic bag, like a sandwich bag, around halfway with either cornstarch or icing sugar, and then tape it to one of your windows – preferably near where you experience the most bugs.
The ladybugs or Asian lady beetles get attracted to the sweet smell and they fly inside. The mixture quickly gets stuck to their wings stopping them from flying away. Jill reveals that if you leave them in there, they'll eventually die, but you could also empty out the bag every so often to release them back outside.
She goes on to explain that while she's tried the usual hacks from vinegar to essential oils to peppermint, none have worked as well as this. And, I'd be inclined to agree.
Ladybugs and Asian lady beetles: what's the difference?
The first way to tell the difference between ladybugs and Asian lady beetles (or Harlequin ladybugs) is their appearance. Ladybugs are a vibrant red with black heads and two white dots around their eyes, whereas Asian lady beetles are more orange/brown with a black M or W on their white heads.
Asian lady beetles also have more irregular spots, or sometimes none at all, as well as being a little larger and a bit more of a nuisance in your home. Chances are, if you have an infestation, the lady beetles are likely to blame because they like to travel in groups.
As mentioned above, they also emit a foul smell that works to attract more lady beetles, as well as being generally more aggressive and even capable of biting.
Either way, once you've used this hack to remove the ladybugs or lady beetles from your home, be sure to seal up any cracks around your home to stop them getting back in!
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