A guide to preventing ladybugs from entering your home. Each fall, many homeowners experience the nuisance of thousands of swarming ladybugs looking for shelter in homes and outside buildings. As they try to find a place where they can hibernate during the winter, ladybugs often congregate on outside windows, doors, porches, and decks and sometimes even get inside of houses!

If you have experienced the nuisance of swarming ladybugs, rest assured that these beetles do not bite, sting, or carry human diseases, nor feed on wood, clothing, or food. They also do not reproduce indoors. These beetles are harmless to humans. In fact, ladybugs, also called lady beetles, are very beneficial to agriculture and gardens. Ladybugs feed on harmful aphids and scale insects associated with trees, shrubs, bushes, flowers, and many agriculture crops. With these benefits in mind, ladybugs can still be a problem for homeowners.

If ladybugs have been entering your house, the best method you can adopt is prevention. Ladybugs enter through cracks around windows and shutters, doors, siding, pipes, and other openings. If ladybugs can enter your home, then so can cold air in the winter and warm air in the summer. You should fill in any cracks and repair any damaged window or door screens.  For beetles already in your house, you may use a broom and dustpan and/or a vacuum cleaner to collect them. Then you may place the beetles under a bush or other covered area well away from your home. Remember, they will be invaluable to your garden and flowers next year. Also, remember that any problems you are having with swarming ladybugs will be solved once the cold winter weather set in!