The annual ladybug invasion seems to be ongoing.

Reports of ladybug beetles (commonly known as ladybugs) invading houses and buildings in the southern United States have raised questions and concerns.

According to the Texas A&M AgriLife promotion service expert, ladybugs are definitely friends, but they will eventually be welcomed.

Wizzie Brown, an integrated pest management expert at Austin AgriLife Extension, said that the increased number of ladybugs found in houses and buildings is related to lower temperatures. As the outdoor temperature dropped, they crawled through cracks and crevices around the house, looking for warm and dry places.

Brown said that ladybirds are a beneficial insect for gardeners. They are effective predators against soft pests (such as aphids), which can affect ornamental plants and destroy the production of fruits and vegetables.

"If they are outside and don't bother you, it's best to leave them alone," she said. "Allowing them to overwinter around your home means that when garden pests start to appear in the spring, you may have a large population."

She said that although ladybirds are good outside, they can be annoying when they invade the house. They can stain fabrics and give off a foul smell when they die or release liquids used as defense mechanisms. Sometimes, when they feel threatened, ladybugs bite people.

Brown said that local ladybirds prefer to hibernate outdoors, but their Asian ladybirds prefer to hibernate indoors, so the invasive beetles are likely to be invasive species. Native ladybirds and Asian ladybirds are different species, and apart from wintering preferences, they provide the same benefits in vegetable gardens and surrounding landscapes.

Brown said that the colors and spots of local ladybirds and Asian ladybirds are very similar. Asian ladybirds can be identified by a small M or W, depending on how you look at them, the shield-like part behind their heads.

"They are all ladybird species, and Asian species tend to be brownish-red or speckled orange, but they may also be speckled red," she said. "So, the best way to distinguish them is M or W."

Brown said that if ladybugs enter the house in large numbers, homeowners can easily remove them and practice elimination methods around the house to prevent future entry.

Brown recommends vacuuming them away, then putting them in a trash bag or releasing them outside.

In order to prevent ladybugs from entering the building, Brown proposed elimination methods, including:

"Ladybug beetle invasion is very sporadic," she said. “If you’ve encountered a problem before, it’s likely to happen again, but environmental conditions and what happens around the house play an important role in their activities every year. The good news is that if you practice exclusion methods, you will prevent other Pests that are looking for shelter may enter your home at this time of the year."

Brown said pet owners shouldn't worry about ladybugs poisoning their animals. A story and photos of a dog with a ladybug in its mouth continue to circulate on the Internet as an example.

"Obviously this dog eats everything, and it has gotten a lot of ladybug beetles," she said. "Some ladybugs bite its mouth and release their defensive fluid to try to avoid being eaten, so you will see viral photos and subsequent panic from pet owners. But the veterinarians try to eliminate any hysterical emotions and agree that except for some possibilities Other than stomach irritation, almost no one is worried about their toxicity."

This article by Adam Russell originally appeared on AgriLife Today.

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