How To Get Rid Of Ladybugs Inside The House

Although ladybugs are considered an oath of good luck, according to This Old House, they are everyone's least favorite houseguest, and they are definitely not a joy to discover. You're more likely to see them during the colder time of the year, like winter, but no matter what season of the year it is, ladybugs will always seem to find their way into your home at some point. 

According to Prevention, more ladybugs have been seen in homes on a regular occasion starting last winter more than ever all over the country. They are good for the environment, especially your home garden, because they prevent infestations and eat other insects in your yard. They are not an extreme threat at all, but you don't want to get used to seeing them in your home because that means there are families of them. 

It's normal for everyone to see one or two ladybugs in your home from time to time, but once they multiply and reproduce, you have a bigger problem on your hands. But, you're in luck because there are ways you can prevent a ladybug takeover in your house, and here you can find the best solutions.

Ladybugs look cute, but they can be a nuisance, potentially harming you. According to The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, ladybugs may cause an allergic reaction in some people, including respiratory problems and swelling under the skin. Healthline reports that they can bite or pinch you as well. A biting study published in American Entomologist showed 26% of the 641 multicolored Asian ladybeetles (MALB) bit the researcher's hands, seemingly having a preference to bite areas of the hands without hair, such as between fingers and on the inside of wrists. Females were slightly shown to bite more than their male counterparts.

Bay Nature says MALB have "reflex bleeding" and release yellow-colored insect blood called hemolymph, which can stain fabrics, furniture, and clothing. AgriLife Today says the bleeding is a defense mechanism: "When they're disturbed, small droplets of blood are released at the leg joints, which apparently defends the beetles against attackers," Dr. Allen Knutson, Texas Cooperative Extension entomologist, told the publication.

Dogs may have an issue as well. Carolina Pest says if an animal eats a beetle, the chemicals released may burn a dog's mouth and digestive tract. But Wizzie Brown, a pest management specialist, told Agrilife there was only one documented case of a dog — known for eating everything — who ate ladybird beetles. "But veterinarians have tried to dispel any hysteria and agree there is really very little concern about their toxicity beyond some possible stomach irritation," she said.

If you see more and more ladybugs indoors, don't wait to do something about the problem! AAA Exterminating explains ladybugs lay between 10 to 50 eggs every time they breed, which happens many times during the spring and summer. Don't crush ladybugs to get rid of them because you could have a bigger problem to deal with. A-Alert Exterminating Service says when ladybugs die, they release methoxypyrazines. These stinky chemicals can smell like moldy veggies.

A Canadian woman who spotted a swarm of Asian ladybeetles told CBC News that she quickly escaped to her house and locked it up tight to avoid letting her home be a nesting spot. "They landed all on the side of the house. They landed on me. They bite," said the woman, Susan Walsh, who reported seeing the orange pests before, just never so many of them. "It was kind of like Alfred Hitchcock, a smaller oranger version of an Alfred Hitchcock movie."

According to NJ Pest Control, you have a much bigger chance of having visits from ladybugs if your home is located near wooded areas as well as fields. I know we all love a good garden in our yard or, even more, likely now, a family of houseplants, but plants, unfortunately, attract ladybugs, according to Pest Strangers. A plant or two may be okay, but the more plants you keep in your home, the more likely you are to have ladybugs trying to find their way inside to them. 

If you find yourself bringing outside plants into your home or buying new plants, you want to always deliberately inspect them every time to make sure no ladybugs are present. However, it is in your best interest to try to avoid doing this. Not only will keeping your plants outside keep ladybugs from entering your home but the high possibility of any other insects as well.

There are a number of ways to get rid of ladybugs that don't include bringing a toxic chemical into your home and putting yourself at risk. A good natural way to get rid of any unwanted ladybugs in your home you probably didn't think of is to spray them with soap and water. 

Pest Strangers recommends simply filling an empty spray bottle with water and dish soap. Lightly shake the bottle to mix the solution, and once that's done, you want to spray them. This will certainly do the trick and make it easier to get rid of the ladybugs because the solution is harmful to them but safe for you. According to Pest Strangers, the solution kills them and also nips in the bud any possibility of the ladybugs returning because ladybugs, as well as any other insects, are repulsed by the scent of the solution. Talk about two for one deal.

According to Epic Gardening, using diatomaceous earth around your home, especially in sealed-off areas like windows, awnings, and doorways, will repel ladybugs. Be sure you use food-grade diatomaceous earth, which is safe for humans and pets. Still, wear a mask and gloves when using it since it can cause eye and skin irritation.

Farmers' Almanac says diatomaceous earth comes from the fossilized remains of diatom, a phytoplankton. It's all-natural and odorless. Homestead and Chill says the chalky white powder product is often called "DE" and works on any insect with an exoskeleton. While the substance feels smooth to the human touch, it's sharp to insects' protective outer shells and cuts them, causing them to dry out.

You can buy diatomaceous earth online or at garden and home improvement stores. Dust areas where ladybugs are problematic. If it gets wet, reapply it since water makes it less effective.

Look to your kitchen cabinet to find ingredients to repel ladybugs. Cloves, which come from dried flowers from the clove tree, are known for their antioxidant properties and are often used to spice up foods, as per WebMD. But according to Pest Pointers, that same spice is an effective insecticide. That's because cloves have a strong smell and contain eugenol, which is too potent of a scent for ladybugs. It's also a component found in cinnamon, oregano, turmeric, and ginger (via The Royal Society of Chemistry). Pest Pointers suggests making your own clove spray to repel ladybugs by mixing 10 to 15 drops of pure clove essential oil with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle.

Bay leaves are another natural repellent. JP Pest Services recommends placing bay leaves — either fresh or dry — around the house to keep bugs away. The reason? The leaves have a bitter smell that's a turnoff for ladybugs and other household pests, including moths, mice, and cockroaches.

Humans love mint, but ladybugs do not. That's according to Pest Pointers, which says any type of mint from the mint family will deter ladybugs. Here's how it works. According to Mother Earth News, mint, like peppermint, covers the smell ladybugs like (such as their fave food, aphids), and it also irritates them. Plus, menthol in the peppermint gets in the way of the pheromones that ladybugs and other household or garden pests rely on for mating and reproduction. As a bonus, mint is known to keep out fungus too.

There are a few ways to make your own mint repellents. First, you can dry out mint from a plant and sprinkle the mint leaves around the house (via WQAD). Next, you can make your own repellent spray by diluting 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil in water and spraying the affected areas (via The Novice Homestead). With these tips, your house will smell minty fresh, and hopefully, you'll keep ladybugs away.

Use light to get rid of ladybugs. The Pest Rangers says placing light traps in dark areas around your home's exterior and property can be effective. It recommends using commercial black ultraviolet lights for the best results. Here's how they work: The bright light from the trap attracts ladybugs, flies, and other pests. There are two kinds of traps: ones that use electricity to zap the bugs and others that use sticky glue to trap them (via Terminix).

You'll have some options when choosing the light trap style. The wall-mounted ones are 3 to 5 feet from the floor. Sconces, which look decorative, are usually placed 6 feet above the ground and collect ladybugs and insects in high-traffic areas. Freestanding light traps are a solution for homeowners who need pest control in a lot of areas. Since they're portable, they can be moved around where needed. Another option, ceiling-mounted light traps, can collect higher flying pests, which is why they're about 8 feet off the floor. This one may be taller than needed to trap ladybugs, but it's still an option, especially if the ladybugs are high on your exterior walls.