| This is the second fall season that I have noticed a great number (more than 20) lady bugs flying feverishly around my back door (which is next to my garden). They appear every sunny day around 12 noon and stay until 2:30 PM - this is also the time of day when the sun hits that side of the house. What causes this to happen? Is it because I have removed the plants from my garden for the season (marigolds, tomatoes)? Or does it have to do with the change of the seasons? Why do they only appearon sunny days? What can I do to prevent the swarm without killing them? |
| The last 2 or 3 years we have had the same thing happen. For a short time lady bugs are everywhere in the house. I'm not sure why this happens--it could be a cyclical thing where every so many years there is a population surge. As annoying as they can sometimes be (especially when they land in my coffee!) I just try to remember what beneficial creatures they are. I can't think of anything you can do to discourage the swarm--they're just looking for a hiding place to overwinter. The warmth of the sun on otherwise cool days probably stimulates them to actively seek shelter. If you can tolerate them for this relatively short time, you'll have fewer aphids, whiteflies, and other pests in your garden next summer. |
