ladybird beetles: their benefits, harms, and different ways to combat beetles
ladybird beetles: their benefits, harms, and different ways to combat beetles
Most of the ladybird beetles are very beneficial insects because they feed on plant-eating insects.
However, some of them have a habit of being indoors and indoors during cold weather, which makes them annoying pests that must be controlled.
Ladybirds are found worldwide with about 475 species in the United States and Canada.
What do ladybird beetles look like?
They have very convex bodies, hemispherical to oval in shape which can be yellow, pink, orange, red or black and usually feature distinctive spots.
This is a kind of warning to deter other animals that may try to eat it and it is protected by a harmful, foul-smelling liquid odor that it secretes when it senses danger like other brightly colored insects.
The bright color of the body allows some predators to remember the encounter, avoiding insects with similar signs.
Most of these short, six-legged beetles have oval, dome-shaped bodies and may have spots, stripes, or no markings at all, depending on the species.
Seven-spot beetles are red (or sometimes orange) with three spots on each side and one in the middle, and their heads are black with white spots on the sides.
Where do these beetles live?
Most species of ladybird beetles are considered valuable beneficial insects because their food is voracious plant-eating insects.
They eat aphids, mealybugs, mites, and scale insects that damage garden crops and plants.
However, some species, such as the Mexican bean beetle, are harmful and feed on plants.
Ladybugs usually increase in numbers during the spring and summer when they prefer thin foliage and aphids.
Adults look for safe places during cold weather, including under trees, rocks, and wood.
Places such as homes, dwellings, and buildings are favorite places for these beetles.
Do ladybird beetles cause damage?
Most species of ladybird beetle do not pose a threat to human health.
But some species, such as the Asian multicolored beetle, exacerbate asthma and cause allergic reactions in some individuals, which is a strong reason to combat these pests.
It also exudes a sticky, foul-smelling yellow defensive liquid that can stain everything it comes in contact with.
What are the benefits of ladybird beetles?
These beetles are useful insects to combat and eliminate several destructive pests that damage crops.
Beetles' favorite foods include aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and some insect eggs, especially the European corn borer and the Colorado potato beetle.
Ladybird eats both larval and adult insects, and interestingly enough, this beetle eats thousands of aphids over its lifetime.
The adult beetles eat these insects and lay their eggs among the prey so that the emerging larvae can also feed on the insects.
The only time humans are known to be "pests" that must be controlled and eliminated is when the weather becomes cooler during autumn.
Asian beetles invade homes and other buildings where they need a safe place to spend the winter and here they must be combated as Asian beetles are a real pest.
What is the difference between ladybird beetles and Asian beetles?
While ladybirds and Asian beetles look alike and belong to the same insect family, they do not behave in the same way.
The ladybird is a very beneficial and harmless insect that does not bite and eat harmful garden pests and never congregates in large numbers.
Asian lady beetles also hunt garden pests, but here the similarities end.
The real pest that must be controlled and eliminated is the Asian beetle.
Asian lady beetles congregate in large groups, particularly around warm, reflective surfaces such as windows.
They scrape the skin on which they "bite" the Asian beetles and leave a yellow foul-smelling liquid on the surfaces they are on.
Even worse, when you seek shelter during the winter, Asian beetles will try to enter your home.
We can say that Asian beetles are the evil twins of ladybird beetles and must be combated and eliminated.
The difference between ladybird (left) and Asian beetles (right)
What are the different ways to combat beetles?
Sealing holes around windows, doors, sides, pipes, and other gaps is the most effective way to control and eliminate beetles from entering the home.
Repair broken doors and windows that insects may enter through.
If the ladybug has already crept into the house, a vacuum cleaner may help.
A professional pest control company should be contacted to diagnose and analyze the problem if an infestation occurs inside the home.
What are the companies responsible for combating these insects?
If you cannot get rid of it and if it penetrates into your home, you should use a company specialized in combating it.
Some of the most famous companies in the Arab world, especially Kuwait:
• Pest Control Company, Hawally.
• Al Ahmadi Pest Control Company.
• Also Mubarak Al-Kabeer Pest Control Company.
• Insect Control Company Salmiya.
• Al-Jahra Pest Control Company.
• Also, Abdullah Al-Mubarak Pest Control Company.
Keyword ladybird beetles
Description Ladybird beetles are one of the types of insects that have many benefits as they feed on harmful insects and pests, but are they harmful? How do you combat beetles?