Lady Bugs Inside Trailer

paflyfisher · 10-07-2013, 09:10 AM

Having a problem with lady bugs inside the RV. I don't mean a couple of them I mean hundreds of them. Not sure they are true lady bugs but they sure look the same. Last weekend with the temperature in the high 70's I had thousands of them swarming the RV. Impossible to keep them out so does anyone have an remedy to get rid of them inside besides a vacuum cleaner.

VicS1950 · 10-07-2013, 09:41 AM

I noticed in some large HVAC air handler units that they seem to like to congregate where any hole to the outside provides a constant air flow. As you say, not just a few, probably thousands. The piles of them in the air handlers were literally 1/2" deep in any air leak area.

My only advice would be too carefully inspect for any holes on the outside or under side of your trailer which will allow them in. They seem to be able to sniff out the air flow through any leak.

I read somewhere that these are not the Ladybugs I remember as a kid. It is a different species. They go dormant in the cold and awaken when the heat returns. And trust me on this, the little buggers we have will bite you too.

vic

Westie02 · 10-07-2013, 09:58 AM

visit www.domyownpestcontrol.com for some insect control chemical which you can apply yourself. I'm betting any good synthetic pyrethroid will eliminate these insects.

33 RLDS · 10-07-2013, 11:28 AM

I get them in my house, luckily not hundreds !!! Also stink bugs are trying to get in this time of year !!

BunkHouse26 · 10-09-2013, 07:07 AM

I'm camping neat Tomah Wi. and they started showing up about a week ago. I think they are squeezing past the glass and screen of the windows (upper and lower corners) and possibly past the thin weather stripping around the door. Flies are also bad. Possibly getting through by said ways and when you open the door, 10 follow you in. It's like they sit there and wait for you. I also have dead flies inside a few of my light fixtures. How the heck does that happen? Fly strips are helping some. (swat savers)

Bassdogs · 10-09-2013, 08:38 AM

Lady bugs have been a problem in the south and mid south for over a decade. Heard it has something to do with some brainiac releasing them to fight some other pest species. Anyway they spread and have become more of a problem than what they were intended to attack. So much for do gooder science.

We got them annually when we moved to our home in Ky. They seemed to show up overnight and we would have thousands [really] that tended to swarm into a mass in a corner or window sill. My solution was to go the vacum and suck up the little buggers. Then take that can of raid and suck up a 5 sec blast into the vacum hose. After a couple of treatments they were pretty much gone until the next swarm. I also set off the bug bombs in the attic a couple times each year. Did it when we were going to be out of the house for a couple days.

In addition I ask our pest control guy who treats for tmites each year to also attack the lady bugs. Not sure what he did, but it has helped. Also did some reading on line and found that the lady bugs tend to hatch or swarm after a cool down and then a warm up into the 70's. Happens in the late fall and early spring. After 4 or 5 years of sucking them up and treating them by the pest company, the attacks are fewer and less intense.

As for the camper, I like to set off one of the bug bombs a couple times each year. Once before closing up in the late fall and again in the spring. Tends to help with spiders and other creepy crawlers. Who knows how they get in but they do. I just focus on killing them off. Seal your holes but they will still get in, you'll never get rid of them all. In your case where they were swarming in a campground, I would do whatever while you were there, but do the bomb thing when you got home.

These are not your traditional cute red ladies with white spots. The ones we get are orange. They tend to stink and I take offense when uninvited things want to sneak into my house or RV. Kill them, kill them all.

mcfarmall · 10-09-2013, 10:15 AM

The red ones with black spots are the native species and they are nice and cuddly sorts. The orange ones with black spots are the Asian ladybug who can be stinky and will actually bite. They seem to greatly outnumber the native species at least in my neck of the woods.

BunkHouse26 · 10-09-2013, 03:18 PM

Upon further investigation, in my case, they are coming in through the corners of the slide out. You can see inch gaps in the rubber drip edges. And looking inside they seem to be coming from behind the trim in the corners of the slide. Have no idea how to fix that problem.

BunkHouse26 · 10-09-2013, 03:24 PM

Upon further investigation, in my case, they are coming in through the corners of the slide out. You can see inch gaps in the rubber drip edges. And looking inside they seem to be coming from behind the trim in the corners of the slide. Have no idea how to fix that problem.

muelldawg · 10-09-2013, 03:36 PM

Better than "crazy ants"?

In one night we picked up millions of them at the Orange Grove RV Park, Bakersfield CA. We finally figured out they were after some spilled cat food. Mopped them up and by the time (next day) we had returned to Phoenix another million of them had moved to the head and drowned. I don't blame them for going for water; it was blazing hot in TT.

krackeer · 10-09-2013, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by muelldawg

Better than "crazy ants"?

In one night we picked up millions of them at the Orange Grove RV Park, Bakersfield CA. We finally figured out they were after some spilled cat food. Mopped them up and by the time (next day) we had returned to Phoenix another million of them had moved to the head and drowned. I don't blame them for going for water; it was blazing hot in TT.

I have heard about these crazy ants! Never want to encounter a bunch of those!

VicS1950 · 10-10-2013, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krackeer

I have heard about these crazy ants! Never want to encounter a bunch of those!

It could be much worse. Let's hope someone doesn't get the bright idea to import these.

Deadly giant hornets kill 42 people in China
http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/03/world/...-attack-china/

vic

MrKong · 10-11-2013, 02:53 AM

http://www.orthohomedefense.com/smg/...nseHomePagePh2

That will stop the lady bugs.

http://www.amazon.com/Demand-Cs-carp.../dp/B002Y6BC1O

That will work on stink bugs.

SmokerBill · 10-11-2013, 12:59 PM

My mom's house had a ladybug problem. When I was researching control methods I learned that wherever they congregate, they deposit a pheremone (kind of a bug perfume) that tends to attract more ladybugs. The more ladybugs attracted, the more pheremone deposited, and in a few years they can be thicker than hairs on a dog's back.

We got rid of the problem. Sold the house.

Bassdogs · 10-11-2013, 05:35 PM

Like I said before, have had 99% success with the arisol bombs in the attic and a couple times in the main house. These buggers like to hid in cracks and crannies and come out when the temp warms up. Use the vacumn cleaner when they group up and the bombs in the Spring and Fall. After 2 or 3 years of doing this, our outbreaks are fewer and just a few bugs in the house.

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