Next time you spot any ladybugs in your house, you may want to proceed with caution, especially if you’re in the Texas area. That may sound a little ridiculous; ladybugs are harmless, right? That all depends if that red and black polkadot bug is actually a ladybug or something else – Asian lady beetles.
Texas has actually become infested with these nonnative insects. Asian lady beetles actually bite and feed on anything they land on. People, pets, in-laws, you name it, they’ll bite it.
These bugs actually originate from Japan, but they’ve made their way over here and appear harmless because of their association with the ladybugs we’re familiar with.
They “are attracted to illuminated surfaces” (like sunlit walls) and “are such a nuisance that they affect quality of life,” wrote the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture.
These bugs tend to like it warm, so when winter comes they will ride the cold out anywhere they can that’s warm. Most of the time that means sneaking into the warmer confines of you home. Other times that can mean taking up residence in the roof of your pets mouth – seriously.
Squashing them may sound like a solution, but the odor they emit when killed is sure to make you never want to crush one again, unless you enjoy feeling ill and want yellow spots all over your house. Luckily a vacuum cleaner has proven to be an effective method of getting rid of them without all the negative side effects.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mB1ZcE16e8
