Managing the Japanese Lady Beetle

My Grandma always told me to never squash a ladybug, or I'd have bad luck. She also said that a ladybug in your house is a sign of good luck. Well, I lived in an apartment many years ago that found ladybugs crawling through the cracks and into my living room by the droves in fall, and I don't recall garnering good luck from the tiny insect hordes. Many years later, living in a house, I still encounter ladybugs and Japanese lady beetles but, thanks to double-insulated windows, tight window casings, and weatherstripping around my doors, they usually remain outside where they belong. But if you find the tiny, colorful beetles gaining access to your house in the fall, here are some tips for managing Japanese lady beetles and ladybugs:

• I've found the best way to get rid of Japanese lady beetles and ladybugs is to vacuum them up. Once you see them starting to cluster, simply attach your wand attachment to your vacuum cleaner and suck them up. Make sure that you change your vacuum cleaner bag right away, as they will crawl out and back into your house. It would be a waste of time to vacuum them, put your vacuum cleaner back into the closet, only to discover a few days later that they have infested your closet after having climbed out of the vacuum cleaner bag.
• Scoop them into a dustpan with the broad edge of a piece of cardboard and then toss them outside. If they are all over your porch or deck, use your leaf blower to blow them away.
• Pour lemon juice into a spray bottle and spray around doors and windows to prevent them from entering your house.
• Light citronella candles outside to prevent them from coming onto your porch or deck.

Resist the urge to squash them, since their blood is yellow and will stain light—colored walls and fabrics. Instead, use your hand or a sheet of paper to scoop them into a bucket of water. If you simply try to scoop them without the water handy, they will fly to another part of the room. The water will anchor them for a bit while you're continuing to find more beetles throughout the house. Once you've visited all of the rooms of your house and have scooped them from the walls and furniture into the bucket of water, dash the water outside into the yard.