After the recent cold front, the invasion that ensued resembled that of what Herbert George Wells described in his 1898 novel “War of the Worlds” They arrived by the untold billions, and I may be significantly underestimating their numbers. Escape was not an option. Never have I been attacked like I was last Thursday, and the onslaught has still not ceased. Futile is the best description I can think of to describe my effort to fight back. Even more exasperating was the fact that I could not surrender to the enemy. Even when I made a dash for the safety of my home, for days, there were skirmishes in my truck and in my garage. The words helpless, anger, and frustration, are pale in comparison to how these aliens affected me. I’m sure I’m not alone.
Did you and your family fall victim to the recent explosive infestation of the multicolored Asian lady beetles? The cool mornings and the warm afternoons have triggered a massive migration to buildings, homes, trucks, deer stands, and many other structures as adults are in a panic to find overwintering sites to spend the next three or four months. A native of eastern Asia, this insect, harmonia axyridis, was introduced into the United States by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a biological control agent for garden and crop pests. Efficient at times for the control of aphids and some scale insects, these insects have exploded in numbers recently. There is also evidence that the increase in these insects may have been accidentally introduced in New Orleans from an Asian freighter. Regardless of where they came from, they are here and are not welcome this time of year.
Besides the annoyance from them crawling down the back of your neck, they can sometimes bite hard enough to break the human skin, causing minor irritation and discomfort. In addition, when agitated or squashed, they can secrete a strong-smelling yellowish liquid from the joints of their legs. This behavior or reaction is known as “reflex bleeding.” In part, this is a defense mechanism to deter predators from eating them. This fluid can also stain clothing, upholstery, and the walls of homes.
Though these “lady” beetles, and I use the description “lady” loosely, are not structure damaging pests like termites, they will seek refuge in cracks and crevices in your home. Asian lady beetles seem to be attracted to lighter colors: whites, grays, and tans. This may be why they covered my white truck the other day to the point where it looked like an orange, polka dotted vehicle. I am not exaggerating either! The very second I exited my truck to go for an afternoon sit with my bow, my truck was completely covered. I rushed to gather my equipment and shut the doors before they filled the inside. I was unsuccessful.
On top of that, when I returned at dusk, hundreds, if not thousands of these “pests” had crawled into the cracks of the doors and were resting along the lining on the inside. Of course, you know what happened then. As soon as I opened the door, they fell, crawled, and flew, that’s right, they fly too, upon the seats and the floorboard. From here they scattered to parts unknown. For days, I have been picking stragglers from the windows and the console while doing my best not to mash the little heathens. Not because I want to save them, bless their hearts, but because I don’t want the exudate to fill my truck with the offensive odor. In fact, Stacey has refused to ride in my truck until there is no more evidence of any “live” creatures inhabiting the seats and consoles. Heh, we’re burning her gas when we head somewhere to sit outside.
Prevention and control of these “non-lady-like” critters is marginal at best. Physical control by caulking exterior cracks and crevices is almost a waste of time. One can’t open and close the doors to a tractor or truck fast enough to prevent their entry. I have even heard of vacuuming them with a shop-vac to remove them, but this only removes some of the existing population and has no benefit for controlling reinfestation. For a moment, I did consider leaving my truck doors open and call an ag pilot to fly through my truck and spray them. I doubt they would try this maneuver though.
By the time this article arrives at your home, it will be Thanksgiving. I hope we will have had enough cold weather by then to drive these insects away and not have to endure them until next fall. This also means, if all goes well, I will be back from one of my excursions in the mid-west chasing some wise old buck. I’m trying to stay ahead with my writing to help Jimmye and company with deadlines. Last year was brutally hot in Oklahoma and North Texas during the week of Thanksgiving. Though lady beetles were not an issue, the wasps were just as bothersome there as the lady beetles are here. No matter where you sat, they would find you. I don’t mean just one or two either. When it began to warm up around 9:30 in the morning, hundreds of gigantic red wasps would find the blinds. They would crawl on your clothing, the walls of pop-up blinds, trucks, and anything else that would hold heat. They were looking for refuge too, just as the lady beetles do. Hopefully this year, it will stay in the 40s and below to minimize their activity. I hate these things. In fact, I may even take a can of spray with me this year to “squirt” them if they become a problem. Anyway, by the time you’re reading this, they will have found me or not.
I hope you and your families have a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. I can’t wait to share some stories with you after my return. I never know what I’ll see or encounter, but whatever it is will be interesting. Don’t forget to enjoy these holidays for what they offer. Help yourself to another spoonful of dressing and another piece of sweet potato pie. You can work it off in the days to come. Let those kids run through the piles of leaves and don’t scold them too harshly when they track a little dirt and pine straw through the den. They’re out of school and it’s the most wonderful time of year for them. Enjoy their laughter and smiles as much as they enjoy offering them to you. Maybe Charlie Brown connected with that pigskin this year. You would think Lucy would allow him to kick it just one of these Thanksgivings. Oh, don’t forget to give thanks for all we are blessed with too. Even those pesky lady beetles.
Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it. Happy Thanksgiving.
jeff.north@northag.net
