Lady Bugs

[Ernie]

Walked outside today and discovered Lady Bugs were swarming, thousands of them were flying everywhere. Looked out over the field and was shocked. I was going to work on the the overhead door but the bugs were constantly flying into my face, down my neck and crawling all over me. Have seen them flying pretty heavily in October before but never like this. I gave up and shook out my shirt and hat, brushed them off my pants, and stayed in the house. Know they sometime bite but did not get bitten today.

[Mags]

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Know what you experienced. Happened here a few years ago.

[RanchRoper]

Make a good Hitchcock movie....

[Mags]

Birds vs Lady Bugs

[dave77]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-Z6xRexbIU

Have never seen them in really large numbers around here even when we have had large aphid populations. One year the aphids were so bad the Cottonwood tree leaves glistened in the sunshine. I had landscape rocks under some of the trees and a couple of days after the sprinklers were off it would look like someone had come along and poured syrup over them. Had to stop and pull sticky leaves off your shoes before coming inside.

I have heard they bite but when I've found them in my house I've let them crawl on my hand to release them outside and have never been bitten.

[Mags]

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I've never been bitten by one. Apparently they can. Just google "do ladybugs bite"

[Ojaileveraction]

Never seen a swarm but seen thousands upon thousands dead in the sand and floating in the tide after a swarm went out to sea.

[cooperhawk]

Around here the all natural farmers import the Chinese version of the lady bug and they do bite. They release the eggs in the Spring.
This time of the year they find ways to get into the house and become a real nuisance. We have one of those little vacuums and we just
suck them up. BTW, if one gets into your drink without your knowledge, it tastes REALLY GREAT!

NOT!

[Mags]

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We used to have a couple Halogen floor lamps. Sometimes they got into the house and into those lamps. Fried lady bugs have an acrid odor!

Around here the all natural farmers import the Chinese version of the lady bug and they do bite. They release the eggs in the Spring.
This time of the year they find ways to get into the house and become a real nuisance. We have one of those little vacuums and we just
suck them up. BTW, if one gets into your drink without your knowledge, it tastes REALLY GREAT!

NOT!

[GaHenryFan]

They get in the corner of my youngest daughter's bedroom every year. I run the shop vac hose through the window and suck them up. Learned hard way how bad they smell if you do it from the inside.

[Ernie]

About 20 years ago Notre Dame University acquired some asian lady bugs and either released them or they escaped, it was never very clear. They quickly multiplied and are now a nuisance. The asian variety do bite but I have never been bitten by a native.

[Mags]

Our most recent swarms have been the boxelder bug. Mostly dark gray with red. Fall of 2018 huge swarm covering the bark of Douglas Firs where the sun was shining on them. We had a light swarm this fall, probably due to cooler weather.

The other nuisance bug is the marmorated stink bug. Gray/brown. I've never gotten a stink off them unless they got burned. Very docile. Can put your hand out and they will crawl onto it. Nice when they need to be relocated from indoors to outdoors.

[CT_Shooter]

I agree that stink bugs are a pest, trying to get indoors anyway they can when the weather starts to turn cooler in Sept and Oct. As many as a dozen or more will congregate on each open screened window at my house, driving my indoor cat nuts. In some areas, they swarm by the tens of thousands on homes and buildings. Last year, they covered one full side of my nephew's two story house. Thankfully, they only stink if they're crushed (or apparently burned), so it's recommended that a vacuum be used to clear large numbers of them.

The other nuisance bug is the marmorated stink bug. Gray/brown. I've never gotten a stink off them unless they got burned. Very docile. Can put your hand out and they will crawl onto it. Nice when they need to be relocated from indoors to outdoors.

[dave77]

Get a lot elm leaf bugs here, not as bad since I got rid of the big elm tree right next to my house. It's funny since when they get in the house they just crawl on the windows like they want back outside.

[Mags]

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On a warm fall day when we have the patio screen door in place the bugs will congregate in the crack between the top of the door and door frame. If you're not prepared for it you get a face full of bugs as they fall when you open the screen door. Of course they scamper or fly indoors after or as they're falling.