I have been hearing a lot of comments about Asian
lady beetles which are everywhere this time of year as they prepare for winter. Soon they will be clustered together behind boards, in wood piles and in houses when they find a crack to enter. A beneficial insect in your garden, they are annoying house guests with a tendency to lightly nibble on your neck. They also have a bad odor when squished.
Asian lady beetles can be distinguished from our many
native varieties by the "M" on the back of their heads. They typically
have 19 spots but this can vary and occasionally they will have no
spots at all.
It has been three years since we last wrote a
blog about these foreign lady beetles. When
I started to look at what is new, I came across an old favorite, Shelly
Cox at MoBugs who has started blogging again. Her extensive coverage
of these lady beetles blew me away, so I will shut up for the day (welcome news
to my friends!) and suggest you
go directly to her blog for everything you never asked yourself about them.
See more extensive history and information at this Ohio State University site.
