How to get rid of ladybugs in your house

Key points

• Invasive Asian lady beetles aren’t harmful to humans or structures but can be a nuisance in large numbers.

• Do not squash lady beetles as they emit a strong odor and can stain surfaces.

• Ladybug control does not warrant the use of pesticides or insecticides, according to our experts.

In the world of bugs, beetles and other crawly creatures, ladybugs enjoy a better reputation than most. Finding one climbing up your arm at a picnic is often a joyful moment rather than a horrifying one — you wouldn’t say this of a stink bug or a tick.

Most of the roughly 6,000 species of ladybugs perform beneficial ecosystem services, including natural pest control for aphids and other garden pests. These beetles, not bugs, are also known as ladybirds, lady beetles and ladybird beetles. 

“Ladybugs are generally considered to be beneficial insects, even though when they’re in our house we find them a nuisance,” said Gail Langellotto, a horticulture professor at Oregon State University who leads the university’s Garden Ecology Lab. “They’re fantastic for natural pest control if you’re a gardener or you like fresh, healthy produce without the use of insecticides. Having ladybugs around in abundance can really help that overall goal.”

Scott Black, executive director of the Xerces Society, a nonprofit organization focused on invertebrate conservation, thinks of a lady beetle as a “mini tiger.”

“All they’re doing is looking around for soft-bodied insects — often the insects that are sucking or eating your plants — and they eat them,” explained Black. “And that’s really, really beneficial.”

But as the saying goes, there can be too much of a good thing — especially when that “too much” is hanging out in your attic or crawling in and out of your windowsill. For the most part, you shouldn’t be too concerned. 

Our experts said killing them or hiring a pest control expert isn’t necessary. You can get rid of ladybugs without harming them. It’s rare to see hundreds or thousands of lady beetles inside; however, if you come across a ladybug infestation, here is how you can handle it.

What attracts ladybugs to your house?

Lady beetles can enter your warm home to seek overwinter shelter, often by mistake.

Black explained that the multicolored Asian lady beetle — Harmonia axyridis — evolved to congregate in tree cavities, which makes cracks in your window frames and door frames or a tear in your window screen very attractive points of entry.

But most ladybugs aren’t trying to get inside during the colder months and have different strategies to stay cozy in the winter. Instead of breaking into your home, lady beetles overwinter in eggs or as larvae in leaf litter.

What are the signs of a ladybug infestation in your home?

Finding an errant ladybug on a window sill does not mean you have an infestation, but if you do see a cluster of them, that might mean a colony is setting up camp inside your house. Typically, lady beetles like to go inside homes from September through November, when the weather gets chilly. 

Other signs are an unpleasant scent (some describe it as foul) and yellow staining if the ladybugs feel threatened. 

Some people may also experience an allergic reaction to Asian lady beetles. Symptoms can include eye irritation and asthma. 

How do you get rid of ladybugs in your house?

While lady beetles aren’t going to hurt you or your property, unwanted creatures in your home are a nuisance and should be dealt with. Preventative measures are the first line of defense from hosting ladybugs in the first place.

Seal cracks, crevices and crawl spaces

One of the best DIY tactics you can use against lady beetles is to caulk windows and seal up cracks, crevices or holes in your house’s windowsills, window frames, walls or other structural points between the inside and outside.

Weather stripping windows, doors and other points of entry will help form a seal and prevent ladybirds from finding a way in — plus, your house will be more energy efficient. 

A few holes should be a straightforward DIY job. Do a quick light test after dark: Take a flashlight and look for areas where light can peer into the house. You can knock this out during the daytime if the room doesn’t have a natural light source, such as a basement or attic.

If you’re in an older home with many crevices or a poorly sealed crawlspace, a home efficiency auditor or a weatherization expert could help you identify problematic areas and create a game plan to tackle them.

Repair window screens

Similar to cracks and crevices, a busted or missing window screen is like a highway onramp for a lady beetle. Repairing any holes or otherwise replacing the window screen if it’s too far gone helps reduce their points of entry.

Sweep don’t squash

Lady beetles will emit a foul odor as a defense mechanism, producing a yellow liquid secretion that stains fabrics.

“You want to minimize killing [ladybugs] in your house because it smells bad,” Black said. “By sweeping them gently and putting them outside, you’re not causing that smell, which has a chemical aroma but that others compare to mold or peppers.”

To avoid triggering the nasty secretion, sweep the insects gently into your hand if there are just a few, or into a dust pan. Release them outside, away from your house. 

Clean the surrounding area with soapy water

Some online sources suggest scent-based deterrents that the smell of citronella and bay leaves, among other plants and their related essential oils, can act as natural repellents for lady beetles. Langellotto doesn’t believe current data backs up the claims.

She added that the lady beetles are likely attracted to the pheromone other ladybugs give off. Cleaning the area to remove the residual attractant will have more impact. Use warm soapy water on walls and windowsills. 

Vacuum them up

A ladybug infestation that is more than a dustpan can handle may need a power tool. Black suggested adding a little water to the canister of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner, then turning it on to suck up the ladybugs.

Similarly, Langellotto suggested filling a bucket with soapy water and sweeping the lady beetles inside.

“A bucket of soapy water is a peaceful way of getting rid of them,” she said. Soapy water degrades the waxy layer in their exoskeleton, which causes lady beetles to die.

A bucket of soapy water is a peaceful way of getting rid of lady beetles.

Gail Langellotto

Using dish soap is one thing, but pesticides or insecticides inside the home were not recommended as a ladybug cure as they can pose more health risks to pets and humans than coexisting with a few ladybugs. 

When should you call professional pest control for a ladybug problem?

Given that the most effective way to handle the problem is to undertake simple preventative measures in your living spaces — both Black and Langellotto found that a pest control company is rarely needed to handle even a large number of lady beetles. 

While Langellotto has seen homes “inundated” with lady beetles, she still thinks homeowners can handle a ladybug problem with a DIY solution, unless they are physically unable to do the job.

Although you might notice that ladybugs have mandibles, these mouth parts are relatively small and will not break the skin if they try to bite you, Langellotto said. 

What’s next?

Given that the common advice on eradicating pests is to kill them, it might seem odd that Black’s advice is to release lady beetles you find in your home. Even though the multicolored Asian lady beetle is considered invasive it can help maintain your landscape and gardens by eating aphids, mealybugs, scale, leafhoppers, mites and other insects that like to make a meal of your plants. In fact, some communities release ladybugs to cut down on pesticides. 

Seal the exterior of your windows and siding to keep the lady beetles from returning in the fall.