The bugs in question are Asian ladybugs which are searching like crazy for somewhere warm before the cold winter sets in proper. The ladybugs usually end up heading for the warmth of homes – as has happened in the valley.
The Asian ladybugs are particularly attracted to people’s homes because of the light colored walls and upholstery they have in them. Even though ladybugs are not harmful to humans they can be a hell of a pest.
Harvey Cotten from the Huntsville Botanical Gardens said about the swarming ladybugs:
One reason I think we may be seeing more of them is that this summer was so cool and we had a lot more rain. We had a lot more foliage growing and we had a lot more bugs like aphids and other insects out there. They were the food source of these ladybugs and so they bred more
So what is the most effective way to get rid of ladybugs? Experts say that the best way is to use a vacuum or a bug trap. They recommend that you try to avoid crushing them as they leave a bad stain.
Kenneth Creel from the Madison County Extension said that the official name for the bugs is “Asian Multicolored Ladybugs.”
He spoke about the potential the bugs have to ruin crops: “If the only thing it did was attack kudzu, it would be perfect, but it doesn’t just do that. It attacks other legumes, though, like soybeans.”
The good news for the residents of Tennessee Valley is that the ladybugs swarm is only expected to last for a week or maybe two. Keep an eye out for some spectacular pictures of ladybirds swarming in the Tennessee Valley as people upload new images daily on the internet.