Ladybirds are pretty cute and often seem harmless to look at. However, when available in a huge number, they can cause a lot of chaos inside your home and outside too. So, you need to find constructive ways to get rid of ladybirds without any complaints or compromises.
With ladybirds, you can reap good benefits when they are outside, especially around your garden. However, they don’t make a good addition to your household at all. As much as they look pretty and vibrant, be assured that you will find yourself struggling with their infestation in the long run.
Also read: How to Get Rid of Centipedes? | 9 Easy Ways
So, if you are wondering how to get rid of ladybirds (often called ladybugs), we have some easy and constructive remedies.
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How do Ladybirds Get Inside your Home?
Well, for shelter, food, and warmth. This is as simple as it can get. If you are worried that the ladybirds are here to harm or affect your health, that isn’t necessarily the case at all. They primarily find shade and comfort inside your home to indulge in a safe nesting spot.
This is also why ladybirds are often found under the trees and rocks, trying to find shelter and comfort in the spot. Also, they are found in colonies and abundance around the entrance or even around the windows, basement, and other spots around the house.
If you have houseplants, ladybirds can gain entry into the house via those. Since they are sporadic flyers, it isn’t surprising that they are found in abundance inside the house too.
List of Ways to Get Rid of Ladybirds
Ladybirds don’t pose a health hazard. However, that is the extent of the damage they inflict. You need to discourage them from inhabiting your place. And, technically, the best way to do that is by ensuring that you make your place inhabitable.
1. Sweep & Vacuum
The first and likely the easiest way to get rid of the ladybirds is by vacuuming your entire house. There is no alternative to the same. If you find the major infestation site along with the colonies inside your home, you can sweep around and collect them in a dustpan. This makes it easier for you to get rid of them out of the house.
If the colony isn’t too big, we’d recommend focusing on hand sweeping them in the house. Once you have physically relocated them, you can clean out your filter bag and the chemical trails without any hassle at all.
2. Try the Dish Soap Solution
The dish soap solution is a proven effective remedy that works like magic. This is ideally good if you have colonies littering the house and you can’t get them out of the house physically. The bubbles created with the dish soap easily suffocate the ladybirds and get rid of them instantly.
What you can do is start by spraying the ladybirds around their colonies. Once that is done, you can take a shallow dish and fill it with some soap and water and blow in some bubbles. The thickness of the soap makes it difficult for the bugs to step out of the water without any complications.
3. Use Duct Tape
If you aren’t looking to kill the ladybirds and just want to relocate them from inside your house to the outdoors, using duct tape can help. It is a potent method and ideal for the spaces where your broom or vacuum can’t catch in the ladybirds.
You can tie a piece of duct tape around your finger and then reach the nooks and corners to catch the ladybirds on it. Once they are stuck to the tape, you can take it off and then relocate it to a different location outdoors. Doing this a few times should easily eliminate all the colonies without any complications.
4. Try Diatomaceous Earth
Many individuals do not know this, but the Diatomaceous Earth has proven benefits in killing ladybirds immediately. Just ensure that you know its benefits and how to get rid of them. This resembles the appearance of boric acid or talcum powder. It is easily found in hardware stores, and you can buy it in bulk for a lower price.
Once you have it in your hand, transfer it to a sprinkling bottle and then sprinkle some on the colonies and the infested areas in your home. Doing this for a few days should clear up the area without hassle.
5. Use a Light Trap
Yes, like most bugs are attracted to light because of the warmth it emits. So, using a light trap can do wonders if you are looking up how to get rid of ladybirds. There are several easily accessible light traps available in the market that you can buy and get started with. However, if you want something different, save money, and DIY, you can also use an enclosed plastic bottle and LED lights.
You can take a plastic bottle and cut it in half with a knife. Take the top half and invert and insert it into the bottom half of the plastic bottle, creating a funnel-like structure. Add a LED light into the funnel.
6. Use Different Strong Smells & Scents
Ladybirds don’t enjoy strong scents and smell around the house. So, if you have a home that deals with essential oils or extra doses of citrus, the chances are that the ladybird colonies will eventually disintegrate and then run for the hills.
Besides essential oils like peppermint, lavender, and citronella, ladybirds also don’t enjoy the smell of a few natural herbs that are found around. So, your best bet would be to tick that off the list as well.
7. Try Out Traps or Repellents
Sometimes, not every natural remedy you try and use won’t work. However, just because those didn’t work doesn’t mean that the chemical repellents, pesticides, and traps won’t work out as well. Technically, this is where you are wrong.
If the colonies have gone out of hand, using chemical repellents is your best bet to clean out and get rid of those colonies instantly without any waiting time or any further compromises. Even after the spray has dried out, the chemicals and potency of the repellents are enough to kill the pests without any complications.
8. Find the Cracks & Gaps
Besides getting it from the outside while cleaning out the plants or even your pets being a carrier, ladybirds can easily enter the house through open cracks and even open doors and windows. Their small size poses an advantage for them. Typically, we’d recommend that you find those gaps around the house and seal them immediately with a weatherproof sealing, so they don’t disintegrate.
Also, if there are any open parts around the windows and doors, you can cover them with insect and pest shield nets that will prevent the ladybird from entering your home.
9. Surround the Area with Mums
When we talk about mums, we aren’t talking about your mothers. Instead, we are talking about the plant Chrysanthemums. It can get rid of insects and pests out of the house and even around the spots outdoors where they shouldn’t grow colonies.
The bright-colored flowers of this plant can work wonders in getting rid of the ladybirds and scare them out of the house. So, if you want to humanely prevent ladybirds from infesting your home or backyard, this is likely the best bet for you.
10. Try Clove or Bay Leaves
Both clove and bay leaves have pest repellent features in them. The strong smell of these spices helps get rid of the ladybirds and any other kinds of insects without any complications. This is why they are often added to dry ingredients in the pantry to prevent insect infestation.
If you were wondering how to get rid of ladybirds, we hope this article gives you all the answers you are likely looking for. Just ensure that you follow the right tricks to keep them out of the house without further complaints. Also, if nothing else works, you must consult professional exterminators to help you out.
Also read: How to Get Rid of Woodlice? | Top Pest Control Strategies
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Why are Ladybirds in My House?
During the winter season, ladybirds generally creep inside the homes to find warmth and shelter. So, their colonies are generally due to that.
Which is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Ladybirds?
Chemical repellents are likely the fastest way to get rid of ladybirds. However, if you want to relocate them safely, use duct tapes.
Is It Bad to Have Ladybirds in the House?
While one or two won’t cause any issues, colonies of ladybirds will make your house inhabitable to an extent. Having them out of the house is always better.
