Ladybirds

[rose2008-2008]

Im at my wits end. in my flat all on my windows ,nets and skirting are all these tiny Ladybird babies.We have lots of trees outside and they maybe come from these. i have tried putting them out the windows but their just accumulating, there seems more than ever today. My cat is just sitting by watching them as some are crawling along the floor!. I dont mean HUNDREDS but there is a fair few of them. can anyone suggest something natural that will discourage them as i dont want to start spraying bug spray as i have my cat!!. I have seen a few adult ones but not many, i think they have foisted their brood on me!!. Any suggestions ladies. HELP?

[ilove2patch]

I would sweep them up & chuck them outside & then wipe around with a citrus smelling cleaner & see if that helps. That made me feel all itchy! lol

[rose2008-2008]

Ive tried that and they still COME BACK,,,,,oooh that sounds like a Horror Film does it not??????.

[calibra101]

I found this, its from 2009 but its still relevant.    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6475439/Homes-hit-by-ladybird-invasion.html

[ilove2patch]

That's interesting. So it's hair spray, fly spray or suck 'em up the hoover! There you go Rose.

[rose2008-2008]

I did just think maybe if i dabbed some essential oil or strong smelling oil it would shrivel them up. One of the adults is on the outside of the window right now!!. Would essential oil be ok?.

[ilove2patch]

Sounds like you need to kill them Rose as they are the foreign type that bite & destroy our native ones.

[queenelsa83]

I personally wouldn't kill them & just leave them be as ladybirds are such pretty & cute little insects 🙂

[calibra101]

Unless they bite and emit a smelly yellow chemical that stains most surfaces. I love nature but if it becomes a problem in my home then thats a different matter. I would get the hoover out.

[ilove2patch]

Me too Calibra. Nothing cute about those little beasties. According to that article they can become a real pest.

[cosmic_unicorn]

Wipe eucalyptus and juniper oil on open windowsills or wherever they are getting in.

Plenty of whole cloves work pretty well too.

This should deter them from coming into your house. No guarantees but it worked for me a few years back.

You'll probably have to hoover/hairspray the ones that are already in your house.

[queenelsa83]

I wouldn't kill them myself, but each to their own & I hope that you get the matter sorted soon all the same 🙂

[ilove2patch]

An insect infestation isn't my idea of a clean house, sorry. I would have to spray them.

[gallantsoldier]

Can you post a picture?

Harlequin ladybirds aren't "tiny" -  (and not babies, either - whatever size they are, they are fully grown adults.)

Are they like any of these?

[calibra101]

If they turn out not to be Harlequins and you're loathe to kill them I have found these 2 methods,

Fresh Lemons, squeeze lemon juice into empty butter/yogurt cartons and place around the area they are getting in, apparently they don't like it.

Relocation.  Place a piece of fresh fruit (apple pear orange) into a cardboard box because they are attracted to it. Check box after a few hours then relocate to a field a few miles down the road. That is all I can find Rose. Good luck.

[rose2008-2008]

Firstly their not an infestation and i have got a very clean flat!!.

The babies are tiny and grey with faint spots, and the aduls outside are just like the normal looking ladybird with medium black spots. they dont look like any strange variety. i tried putting a sort of fabric spray on a cloth and then a little Orange essential oil and it seems to have made them go a little. they only seem to appear when the sun is round on this side. Hopefully they have been deterred. Thank you ladies for the ideas!!.

[calibra101]

Rose, nobody meant to imply that you personally have an infestaion or do not have a clean flat  just that ladybirds can become a problem if hibernating in a home. I am glad you seem to have found a solution. 🙂

[ilove2patch]

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@rose2008-2008 wrote:

Firstly their not an infestation and i have got a very clean flat!!.

The babies are tiny and grey with faint spots, and the aduls outside are just like the normal looking ladybird with medium black spots. they dont look like any strange variety. i tried putting a sort of fabric spray on a cloth and then a little Orange essential oil and it seems to have made them go a little. they only seem to appear when the sun is round on this side. Hopefully they have been deterred. Thank you ladies for the ideas!!.

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Oh Rose I didn't mean that at all. I just thought if you didn't kill them they could multiply & become an infestation! I wasn't saying your flat was dirty! Sorry if that's how it sounded. 

[gallantsoldier]

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@rose2008-2008 wrote:

The babies are tiny and grey with faint spots, and the aduls outside are just like the normal looking ladybird with medium black spots. they dont look like any strange variety.

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You could send a record to the UK Ladybird Survey :http://www.ladybird-survey.org/default.aspx

They have id sheets for adults: http://www.ladybird-survey.org/downloads/Ladybird%20descriptions_Info%20pack_2006_v.1.3.pdf

and for larvae: http://www.ladybird-survey.org/downloads/ladybird_larvae.pdf

[stampingpat]

I have heard of these swarms in the past. Not witnessed one myself. I don't know if maybe you could try garlic. As lots of things don't like garlic. You can boil a head in a pint of water and then wipe down your sill with this water after it cools. I use something similar in the garden to keep slugs away. Not sure if it would work on Ladybugs or not though. Might be worth a try.