A lady beetle and an Asian lady beetle see similar , but one type helps control undesirable dirt ball in the garden while the other is a pest itself .

You commonly want to see a ladybeetle in your garden , but if you occur across a yellow ladybug , it might not be what you think it is — it could be an invasive Asian lady beetle . Ladybugs are good to your garden because they eat works pests . Asian lady beetles alsoeat garden pestsbut have become a pestilence themselves , especially indoors during the cool calendar month .

It ’s common to spot Asian lady beetles congregating in huge numbers on sign of the zodiac and other building in the fall . They can prick and will release an unpleasant olfactory sensation when disturb . unluckily , these insect also have been pushing out native ladybugs . If you’re able to narrate the difference between the two insects , you might be capable to check an irritating trouble before it start .

Graphic showing a ladybug on a leaf next to an Asian lady beetle on a leaf

Credit:BHG / Jiaqi Zhou

BHG / Jiaqi Zhou

Differences Between Ladybugs and Asian Lady Beetles

Asian lady beetle and ladybugs may belong to the same insect family and look very standardized , but they are very different bugs . Many ladybeetle coinage are native to North America , but Asian dame mallet were introduced to the United States in the late 1910s . In the later seventies and early 1980s , Asiatic dame beetles were by choice released by the Department of Agriculture in several southerly states , as well as California , Pennsylvania , Connecticut , and Maryland , to control aphid and scurf blighter . Asian lady mallet can now be feel across the continental United States and parts of Canada .

you may place a ladybird beetle by its marking and size . There areseveral species , with most sporting red shells and various numbers of black spots . Their heads run to be black with small white “ cheeks . ”

Ladybugs are typically rotund and smaller than Asiatic noblewoman beetles if you look at them side - by - side . Asiatic lady mallet shell vividness can range from light orange to brilliant scarlet , so most will have a similar color to a lady beetle . Asiatic lady beetles also have larger white “ impertinence ” markings and have more blanched on their heads overall .

asian beetle on yellow flower

Credit: John Noltner

A sure path to recognise between an Asiatic gentlewoman beetle and a ladybug is to look at the spot where the head meets the wings . If the germ in question has a black-market ‘ M ’ mark in that spot , that ’s a telltale sign you ’re dealing with an Asian lady beetle .

Another way you could be certain you ’re seeing Asiatic lady beetles rather than yellow ladybugs is if you ’re encountering them indoors . The Asiatic beetle tend to pussyfoot into homes through crevice or holes when it gets cold alfresco . Ladybugs wo n’t do that .

Light attracts the Asiatic beetles , so they ’ll often congregate on side on thesouth side of a building , around door frames , and in windows . They burn by come up the pelt they shore on , which feels like a pinprick but wo n’t cause any substantial damage . When threatened , Asian beetles release a stinky yellow substancethat can stain surfacesand trigger sensitised response . Ladybugs , on the other hand , do not congregate , bite , or release a unpleasant-smelling substance .

How to Control Asian Lady Beetles

The best elbow room to keep Asian madam beetles out of your home is by sealing and patch potential entrance points . In addition , close up up any gaps around window , doors , and siding to belittle risk . The good news is that if they do get into your rest home , Asian lady beetles wo n’t regurgitate indoors and will make their exit in spring .

To safely get rid of Asian lady beetles in your home :

Outdoors , you could clear them off the areas where the beetles commonly congregate with a broom or astrong spray of water from a pressure washeror hose . Then scratch down the area with soapy water system ; the pests most in all likelihood wo n’t bring back because the soap smell overwhelm the pheromones that attract more beetle to the localization .

Frequently Asked Questions

Asiatic lady beetles dumbfound a threat to ladybugs and will consume them ( and their young ) if the ladybugs are small enough for the Asian lady beetle to overtake them . Of more meaning concern is the Asiatic lady beetle ’s tendency to crowd out good ladybugs by vie for the same intellectual nourishment source .

These bug are appeal to tender habitats and lit surfaces . They tend to gather on the southwestern side of building in order of magnitude to love the lovingness of the afternoon sun . If your home is shade from the sun , there ’s a small chance these beetles will encroach upon your abode .

These bug live for 30 to 90 day on average , although they can hold up for up to three year . During this time , they can produce over 1,600 eggs , which look like tiny yellow ovals .

After being squished , these bugs will leave behind a distinguishable smell . Their pheromones will appeal more beetles , so it ’s best to get rid of this scent as soon as possible . In plus to using liquid ecstasy , you could disguise the look with citrus fruit , vinegar , or citronella rock oil .