| | figure1. Asian ladybeetles beginning to collect on wall. |
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| | Figure 2. Close up of Asian Ladybeetle. |
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| | Figure 3. asian ladybeetles in mass. |
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We are already at the end of the year, but there are still a few pest situations.
1. Asian Lady Beetles – These beneficials which, were brought into the United States to feed on aphids on pecans, have, like several other insects, a good and a bad side. They are excellent predators of aphids and several other small, soft-bodied insect pests, but they have a bad habit of colonizing when the weather begins to cool. Massive numbers have been reported from around the state, and I am sure there will be additional calls. For those of us who are either homeowners or commercial growers of plants or vegetables, we can use this gathering to help our IPM programs. The ladybugs can be collected and stored for future needs. Gather several circular ice cream containers and place a small amount of slightly moistened straw in the container, and then collect about 200 ladybeetles per container and store it in a refrigerator. About 80 to 90 % of them will survive and be available for use when you begin to see pest problems such as aphids, scales or mites in your nursery stock or vegetable gardens. The best way to collect them is to place a small cloth sack in the hose of your vacuum cleaner, replace the head, and then just suck them up and put them in the container. Catching them by hand can be a big problem because if you squeeze or mash them, they defecate, and that will stain paint and material and is hard to remove. They also emit an odor when mashed. Once indoors they will tend to collect at light sources but will wander aimlessly all around the house. To prevent entrance through doorways it is best to spray a pyrethroid around the door frame and about 3 feet around the door to create a barrier, or every time the door opens several will enter. Sometimes they will get into the walls from outside openings. They are attracted to the lights at night and will emerge through light and wall fixtures. To prevent or stop this, be sure all cracks and opening are closed or sealed to prevent entrance. (Figures 1, 2, and 3)
2. Wasps and Bees – Unlike honeybees, wasps and bumblebees do not maintain colonies over winter. Only the queens, who will begin the colonies over next spring, overwinter. Where they overwinter is sometimes a big problem. They prefer semi-warm, dry, protected areas, and the attics and walls of houses and buildings are excellent locations. They enter through cracks and opening in walls, around fittings, or lines entering buildings. Sometimes you can find thousands of them hanging from the roof or beams in a building or home. They cause little damage or injury unless the building becomes too warm or the weather changes and warms up outdoors. When this happens, the wasps and bees think that spring has arrived, and they begin to look for a way out of the building. The big problem is, most of them will not remember where they got in and are attracted to light sources. They will emerge into the buildings through light and electrical fixtures or any other place they see light. This can be a serious problem, and on occasion people have been stung when these wasps or bees emerge. If you notice wasps flying around the outside of your home, it might be a good idea to check the attic for overwintering wasps. Should you find your attic is an insect dorm, the use of pyrethroid bombs or sprays will effectively eliminate them. However, to prevent this problem in the future it would be wise to have an inspection around the house and to fill or seal all cracks and openings to keep them out.
3. Christmas trees – Occasionally we have a problem with insects like aphids that feed on Christmas trees. They get into the trees before they are harvested and lay eggs on the branches and needles. When we purchase these trees and bring them indoors, the warmth can hatch these eggs and the eggs of ladybeetles that were feeding on them in the field. Then we have aphids and ladybeetle larvae crawling on the trees, the walls and the gifts. This is an unnecessary nuisance. When purchasing trees, check to be sure there is not any sooty mold on the needles or trunks of the trees. This is an indication of a previous infestation and could lead to problems indoors. These insects will not bite or damage anything but can be a problem from their feeding and excretion of honeydew or fecal matter.
4. Firewood – Remember that the firewood you bought or cut earlier this year is a prime source of residence for a number of insects. These include termites, ants, beetles, wasp, some moths and others. Most of them will only scare you but termites, wasps and some ants can create future problems or stings. Only bring indoors the firewood you are going to use in a short period. It is better to stack the wood outdoors on racks where is can be easily retrieved than to keep large amount indoors and create additional problems.
Until next year!
Dale