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The extremely wet summer West Virginia experienced in 2009 may result in a big Asian Lady Beetle (ALB) population this fall, and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is encouraging homeowners to begin taking action now to protect against severe infestations.
WVDA Entomologist Berry Crutchfield, Ph.D., recommends that all points of entry to a house be sealed with caulking, weather stripping, screens or other material. Concentrate around doors, windows, foundation, attic vents, seams in siding, under eaves or where pipes and wires enter the structure. Seal interior entry points to individual rooms, concentrating around windows, vents, light fixtures, electrical outlets, etc. These practices are often easier said than done, but are the most reliable long-term control methods.
In early to mid-October consider treating logical entry points on the exterior of the home with an insecticide labeled for “structure-invading” insect pests (e.g. Bayer Advanced Home Pest Control, Ortho Bug-B-Gone, Ortho Home Defense, Spectracide Bug Stop, Suspend, Tempo), or look for products with these active ingredients: Bifenthrin, Cyfluthrin, Deltamethrin, Esfenvalerate or Tralomethrin. Follow label directions. This treatment works best if performed just before beetles arrive.
During winter months periodically remove individual beetles in the living portions of the home with a vacuum cleaner. Empty and dispose of vacuum cleaner contents after each session, or use a nylon stocking stuffed into the vacuum hose and secured around the outside with a rubber band to prevent beetles from entering the vacuum cleaner and to minimize unpleasant odor. Place sticky boards or fly paper near select lights to attract and capture active beetles. Insecticide treatments are of little value during winter months.
Also known as the “Halloween” or “Japanese” lady beetle, the first established population of this insect was discovered in Louisiana in 1988. Since that time, the beetle has increased its range to include most areas of the United States and parts of southern Canada. It was first reported in West Virginia in 1992.
Contrary to popular myth, ALB has never been released by WVDA.
“Although several states attempted to release and establish the beetle as a biological control agent for fruit and nut tree pests, most of these release attempts were considered failures and it remains unclear exactly how the beetles entered the country. No such releases have ever been attempted in West Virginia, and their movement here was part of a natural expansion from other states,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Gus R. Douglass. Commissioner Douglass noted that he has approached the U.S. Department of Agriculture about the complaints he has received over the years, but little progress has been made in finding a more effective control method for these insects.
For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
The West Virginia Department of Agriculture protects plant, animal and human health through a variety of scientific, regulatory and consumer protection programs, as mandated by state law. The Commissioner of Agriculture is one of six statewide elected officials in West Virginia. Currently, Commissioner Gus R. Douglass is the longest-serving agriculture commissioner in the nation. For more information, visit www.wvagriculture.org.
“The Basis of All Wealth is Agriculture.”
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