Multicolored Asian Ladybird Beetle

As the name suggests, Asian ladybugs are not from the Southeast U.S. While our native ladybug species spend the winter in brush piles, behind the bark of trees, or in other natural shelters, Asian ladybugs have an unfortunate tendency to seek out light-colored structures in which to hibernate. It is not uncommon for tens of thousands of beetles to congregate in attics, ceilings and wall voids. Once inside, they plan to go dormant, but houses are too warm and they fly around, confused that it might be springtime. If a home has suffered with ladybugs before, you’ll likely suffer with them every year unless you can determine how they are infiltrating your home. If you have ever disturbed an Asian ladybug and noticed it left a brown stain on your hands or on a surface, you might be surprised at what the liquid is. Ladybugs can exude a foul-smelling, yellow defensive chemical from their leg joints, a process called reflex bleeding.