by Mindy Cohn

Ladybug sightings seem to have increased 10-fold for every five-degree increase in temperature seen last week. 

Inside many Rockland homes, ladybugs have been crawling out of the woodwork and then launching themselves at the windows, where the gentle click of the collision of their hard shells with the glass echoes eerily in a quiet room.

While spring seems a more logical time for ladybugs to make their presence known, as night temperatures begin to drop, the bugs are attracted to the indoor warmth, and once inside, they head for the heat and light streaming through the windows.

The presence of one ladybug can attract others as they release pheromones, inviting others to come right on in. The small bugs creep through any small openings they can find, especially around windows or doors, to get inside where it is warmer. 

As far as bugs go, ladybugs are one of the more enjoyable creepy crawlies. Their bright red color makes them attractive, and they are not harmful to humans. They don't bite or sting. What they do is eat smaller bugs, which is such a huge benefit that farmers purchase ladybugs by the bagful to use as a natural pest control. They release the bugs to allow them to swarm over their field of crops to naturally deal with aphids, spider mites, whiteflies scale, thrips, mealy bugs, leafhoppers, bollworms, and other tiny, unwelcome pests that damage vegetables and flowers. 

Large numbers of ladybugs in the house can damage carpet, walls, and furniture with their secretions, but it would take quite a number to do any noticeable damage. 

To get rid of ladybugs clustered in and around windows, try a dustbuster or a vacuum with a piece of cloth over the nozzle, then take them outside and dump them - preferably into the garden. 

As ladybugs do not like the smell of citronella, peppermint, menthol, citrus, or clove, adding a few drops of any of these essential oils to water in a spray bottle and spraying it around windows and doors will discourage them from coming inside in the first place.