Asian Lady Beetles

Asian lady beetles look like native ladybugs but aggregate on homes in fall and push indoors to overwinter. They can bite lightly and stain surfaces with a yellow fluid, making them a bigger nuisance than their harmless appearance suggests.

How to identify Asian lady beetles

About 1/4 inch, orange to red with variable black spots and a distinctive black-and-white M-shaped mark behind the head. Color and spotting vary widely.

Behavior & season on Whidbey & Fidalgo

After feeding on aphids all season, they mass on sun-warmed walls in fall and enter through gaps to overwinter in voids, re-emerging on warm days and in spring, often at windows.

Why Asian lady beetles are a problem

They can nip skin, and when disturbed they exude a foul-smelling yellow fluid that stains walls and fabrics. Large indoor aggregations are a recurring seasonal nuisance.

Signs of Asian lady beetles activity

• Orange beetles with an M-mark clustering on walls in fall
• Beetles at windows on warm winter days
• Yellow staining where they gather or are crushed
• Aggregations near attic vents and eaves

How Salty Dog treats Asian lady beetles

We treat exterior aggregation sites and harborage in fall and seal the gaps they use, reducing indoor numbers without staining surfaces. Learn more about our Outdoor Pest Control service, or browse the full Pest Library.

Frequently asked questions

How is this different from a regular ladybug?

Asian lady beetles have an M-shaped mark behind the head, aggregate on homes to overwinter, can bite, and stain — native ladybugs do none of that indoors.

What is the yellow stain they leave?

A defensive fluid they release when disturbed. It smells and stains, so vacuuming rather than crushing is best.

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Matthew is conscientious and careful. He has worked closely with us to address all of our concerns. He has tailored his efforts to the unique demands of our house as he performed an exclusion. The rodent activity has disappeared inside the house and has been vastly reduced outside. We are very happy with his work.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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We had not done pest control for quite some time, (our bad) and one day I needed service right away.   Matthew came ASAP and got us started on the right track.  He did work above and beyond what I expected for a more than fair price and shows up for scheduled maintenance as promised.   He does a great job and I recommend him highly.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Matt at Salty Dog is both personal and professional, and provides services that are high quality, and very reasonably priced. He is clearly a service provider first and last. I've had previous experiences(with pest services and other) with national companies, when I felt I was sent a representative that was sales first, service provider 2nd. Matt is also well networked with contractors in our community, and gave me a couple great referrals for other work I needed done. The bottom line is that I highly recommend Salty Dog and Matt for any rodent/pest related issues.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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We’ve had an excellent experience with Salty Dog Pest Control. Matt’s attention to detail is outstanding, and what really sets him apart is his passion for treating the root of the problem—not just applying a quick fix. He took the time to explain what was going on, what he was doing, and why, which gave us a lot of confidence in the process.

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