Some Manitobans are noticing more boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles these days.
John Gavloski is an entamologist with Manitoba Agriculture. He says populations of boxelder bugs will depend on what kind of trees are growing nearby.
"Areas where there are a lot of maple trees, particularly Manitoba Maple, you'd have more boxelder bugs," Gavloski points out.
According to Gavloski, the Asian lady beetle is a newer species in Manitoba. They have been here since about 2000 and Gavloski says they are really good at getting into homes. He notes while they are not harmful, they can create quite an odour.
"Easiest thing to do is just try to physically remove them and put them outside," he says. "Don't squish them, they'll stink and make a mess."
This time of year, Asian lady beetles will feed on fruit.
"Which, if you're growing grapes to make wine out of, can be a nuisance because if they end up getting crushed with the grapes can taint the wine," he says.
As for the boxelder bug, Gavloski says they are no harm to people or pets.
"They're just there to overwinter. Once again, just physically remove them. What they feed on as adults are seeds of maple trees. They've got no interest in much of what would be in people's homes."
Gavloski says the best way to keep insects from entering your home is to fill cracks and gaps that could serve as an entrance for them. He says there might be a brief benefit to spraying a deterrent around your home but that would have to be reapplied quite often to have any impact.
While the Asian lady beetles can be a nuisance in our homes, Gavloski points out that there is a good side to having these bugs around.
"When we do get them in big numbers, the reason they are in big numbers is likely because we had aphids on our plants and crops earlier in the year," he explains.
As for boxelder bugs, Gavloski says they are not beneficial in the same way that Asian lady beetles are, but they are also not harmful. He notes the maple trees are not impacted by the beetles feeding on the seeds.
This report by SteinbachOnline.com was first published on September 26, 2023.