Yes. Asian lady beetles often gather on bright, sun-warmed exterior surfaces as they search for overwintering sites.
Asian lady beetles don’t want to be outside when it’s cold. They look for places to overwinter, and as a prelude to that, they often will show up in great numbers on the sunlit walls of homes. You can notice this most easily on sunny fall afternoons.
Walls or banks of windows that receive direct sunlight warm up more than the surrounding air. Asian lady beetles like that and gather on those walls or windows. They then explore the structure to find cracks and crevices that will allow them inside. The higher temperature is part of why light-colored siding tends to have a greater problem with Asian lady beetles than other colors. Shaded light walls usually see fewer Asian lady beetles.
Once beetles gather on the exterior, they may move into small gaps around window frames, siding, soffits, vents, rooflines, or utilities. Some eventually settle into wall voids or attics and remain there through winter. If there is a warm winter day or the indoor heat is sufficiently warm, they might wake up and start showing up in living areas and around windows. That doesn’t mean they’re recent arrivals. They have probably been overwintering for a while by then.
Fall is a good time to reduce Asian lady beetle issues. Inspect screens, window and door frames, siding transitions, soffits, vents, and utility penetrations. Seal unnecessary gaps without interfering with necessary drainage or ventilation. If you see them repeatedly clustering on one side of your house, that can tell you a lot because it shows you where warmth and possible entry points can be found in the same place.
If Asian lady beetles are becoming a problem around your Metro Detroit property, Mosquito Squad of Metro Detroit can help with pest control around the property. Call (844) 630-1030 or request a free quote online.
