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100 calls in one day about swarms of lady beetles," says Mr. Hollingsworth. "In Massachusetts, we also recorded sittings from the Berkshire to the Cape.”
The beetles, which have no native natural enemies, have increased their numbers during the summer months. Now that the days are becoming shorter, and the weather cooler, he explains,. they are seeking sheltered sites for overwintering. As one beetle finds an appropriate site, it will emit what’s called an "aggregating pheromone," or a chemical which attracts other beetles.
'Tve observed most of them on sunny days in southern exposures," says Mr. Hollingsworth. "If the ladybugs find entry to a house, they're likely to exploit it, gathering a mass of dozens to thousands of beetles. They'll stay through the winter, without feeding, and when the weather warms, they'll disperse."
What to do about the tiny beetles? Mr. Hollingsworth advises that homeowners start by sealing up all the cracks in their home's foundation or siding. He doesn’t recommend sweeping the ladybugs. "They're 'reflex bleeders1' — when disturbed, they bleed from their joints — and their blood smells bad," he says. "Vacuum them up instead. If you use a clean vacuum bag, you can store them in a cool spot like an unheated shed or garage, and let them go in the spring. They'll help control aphids and scale in trees."
"A neat thing about these beetles," says Mr. Hollingsworth, "is that they're multicolored. Usually, you can identify a ladybug to species by its color and spot pattern. But not these. You find yellow and orange beetles, without spots, or with up to as many as 19 spots.”
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