If you take a close look, you’ll notice that Asian Lady Beetles are not the true sharp red of a ladybug. Their wing colors vary from light orange to a yellow tan.

Not a polka dot nor a wing to be seen one day… swarms of them the next! Children may say, “ladybugs!” while you may say, “What the heck!”
Commonly mistaken with more loveable ladybugs, Asian Lady Beetles have come into many Maryland homes with vengeance.
The good news is, they are relatively harmless and not difficult to get rid of.
While both ladybugs and Asian Lady Beetles are both considered beetles, there are some key differences. If you take a close look, you’ll notice that Asian Lady Beetles are not the true sharp red of a ladybug.
Their wing colors vary from light orange to a yellow tan, and most distinctly, they’ll have a white and black marking that looks like an M or a W between the head and the wings, depending on the way you are looking.
As for the polka dots on the wings, Asian Lady Beetles can have none at all or up to 19 while a ladybug will have 9. If you are particularly paying attention, they are also a pinch more oval shaped and a tad longer than the usual ladybug.
The Maryland Extension Office also classifies both ladybugs and Asian Lady Beetles as beneficial as they both feed on hundreds of plant and crop harming aphids per day. Though Asian Lady Beetles are now considered permanent residents, they were originally brought from Asia and released in the 1900s in California and again in the 1970s and 1980s to help with garden pest control.
The biggest difference is when it comes to home invasion. Asian Lady Beetles will come indoors to hibernate while natives hibernate outside. And when they do start to hibernate, the Asian Lady Beetles will often seem to come out of nowhere, and it won’t be one here or there — it’s the entire extended family!
You’ll see them come in near windows or doors, and anywhere they can crawl in, from hundreds to thousands. Older houses are a bit more susceptible as they have more nooks and crannies to creep in. How do they know? It’s not a group text. Instead, they release an aggregation pheromone letting each other know where the party is at. (Hint — it’s at your house!)
They’ll often band together, creating solid looking clusters in corners. They love the sunny sides of your house, especially between September and April.
Even creepier, they even bite! Nothing to keep you sleeping with one eye open, but if you were to pick one up in your hand, they would put a little nip in there.
Nothing a good rinse with soapy water can’t handle, but yes, you did indeed get bit by a ladybug imposter.
Part of what also stings and stinks, is their release of a yellowish “juice” called hemolymph, meant to be a defense mechanism which can also stain some household surfaces. This can also be released when smushing or crushing them, so be careful when trying to swipe them away.
While it may sound like a horror movie, luckily there are a few good things (for us). They won’t mate or lay eggs indoors, so whoever is in, is in, so you won’t need to worry about repopulating. They also don’t really cause any damage — they won’t eat your house or your food.
The only rare but reported problem is dogs ingesting the beetles — if they do so in large quantities. Per PetMD, if a dog ingests a large number, it can cause stomach issues and ulcers. Typically with their repulsive taste, dogs are most likely to drool them out or drink them down but if you suspect your dog has gobbled up a hotspot of the pests, give a call to your vet.
Many times the bugs will pick high areas and corners, but be proactive if you notice a large number around your pet’s area.
So how do you get rid of them? Channeling your inner Ghostbuster and vacuum them up! Suck them directly up with the vacuum hose to prevent the release of their juices, being careful not to rub or crush them.
And then, so there are no escapees, promptly dump out your vacuum canister outside of your house or into a Ziploc bag!
For prevention in the future, take some time to seal your house as well as possible to prevent the Asian Lady Beetles and other pests from coming in. Replace holey window screens, fix door and window seals. Add or update the screens in your chimneys and cooling & heat systems will also prevent pests from creeping in. It only takes ⅛ of an inch for them to get in!
Do you need to call in the big guns? If you’ve done your diligence for collecting all that you can, have patched all your entry points (or are having trouble locating them) then it may be time to consult with a local pest control company.
While insecticides are slower working, they too can be used to get rid of them or a professional could also assist with barrier treatments for when the party returns to your house late next summer.
Ladybug or Japanese lady beetle, hopefully they will Fly Away, Fly Away home!