Store them in a paper or cloth bag in your refrigerator and deploy them when needed
Wouldn’t it be nice if biological pest control agents were free? Uh huh, it would. Well, some are if you know where to look. And if the good bug you’re looking for happens to be Harmonia axyridis, then this is one time of the year to open those eyes and take a look around. And while you’re at it, you may as well grab a large paper bag. You’re going to need it.
At this time of the year, if you’re having an “Indian Summer” like we are in New Hampshire, you may very well locate hundreds, even thousands, of H. axyridis beetles, also known as “Halloween ladybugs” or “multi-colored Asian ladybeetles” and they’re free for the taking. Store them in a paper or cloth bag in your refrigerator and deploy them when needed. If they don’t dry out, that is, but some simple steps can prevent this and make storage doable. See this small piece about beetle storage facts to learn more.
So, are they any good, free or not? Yes. Halloween ladybugs consume scale insects and aphids just for starters. Moreover, being that these are predatory beetles, they tend to be fairly opportunistic — dining on things not on the menu. The government body that imported these little guys into the country decades ago has outlawed their importation, but it doesn’t detract from the fact that these are good predators, so be sure to go out and grab a few for yourself.
