Lady beetles seek warmth this season
Q. Orange lady beetles that bite invaded my home during the past month. They are a nuisance. How can I get rid of them and keep them out of the house?
A. Yes, the multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis) can be an indoor pest this time of year. The beetles will not eat or reproduce indoors; they only seek warmth and will enter any crack/opening they find available. Make sure doors and windows are well sealed along with any cracks/crevices where pipes or wires enter the house.
Do not crush the beetles because they release an odor and may leave a stain that is difficult to remove. The easiest way to remove the beetles is to vacuum them with a knee high nylon stocking secured by a rubber band to the hose of the vacuum. When you turn off the vacuum and remove the stocking, make sure the rubber band secures the opening of the stocking to "bag" the beetles. If you wish, take them outside and release them under a shrub or tree away from the house.
The Asian lady beetle is actually beneficial and was purposely introduced to the United States. In spring and summer the larvae and adults act as natural predators by eating aphids and scale insects on ornamental plants and soybeans. The beetle has been particularly helpful in Illinois for regulating the population of soybean aphids.
Q. Last fall I put several inches of mulched leaves on my garden to add nutrients to the soil. In the spring the layer of mulch kept the soil from drying and it was late spring before I could dig the garden. Is there a better way to use the mulch in the fall?
A. Your idea to replenish soil nutrients with mulched leaves is good. Try digging your garden in the fall by doing the following:
•Thoroughly remove all plant debris; it might be infected with fungus due to our wet summer.
•Add 2 to 4 inches of disease-free mulched leaves onto the garden. To help leaves break down, add 10-10-10 fertilizer at rate of one pound per 100 square feet.
•On a nice day in November or December, dig the garden mixing the leaves into the soil, breaking up only the large clumps of soil.
The winter freeze/thaw cycles will help break up the clumps of soil into finer particles. Likewise, by digging in the fall you are exposing buried nuisance insect egg casings to the hard freeze. When the soil dries/warms in the spring, you should be able to rake it into fine till without strenuous digging.
• Provided by Mary Boldan and Donna Siemro, University of Illinois Extension Master Gardeners. Send questions to Ask a Master Gardener, c/o Friendship Park Conservatory, 395 W. Algonquin Road, Des Plaines, IL 60016, (847) 298-3502 or via e-mail to cookcountymg@sbcglobal.net.