Asian Beetles - Lady Bugs INVADE The HOMESTEAD!

The story goes that the USDA brought in the Asian Beetles to help Monsanto's GMO crops fight off aphids that attack their soybean varieties. Supposedly this occurred in the 1980's and the USDA and Monsanto have denied any involvement. Today, these beetles are wiping out the natural Lady Bug species and swarming every fall and winter into homes and human living spaces. They bite, smell and leave insect poop on walls.

This week the swarm happened on the homestead and they started crawling into every nook and cranny of our homes looking for a way inside. The only thing that eventually slows them down is the cold weather.

They wake up in the fall with the first coming hard freeze and when warmer weather comes after a few days later, they let the world know of their presence.

IMPACT ON HONEYBEES

Sure the Asian Beetle and Lady Bug are great for gardens and eating aphids, but the fall swarms are highly annoying and destructive. While the government or Monsanto will not specifically say they were involved in the releasing of this invasive and annoying pest that much of America now has to suffer from, their existence helps the sales of the insecticide, Permethrin.

Permethrin has been proven to be harmful to certain livestock and especially harmful and fatal to honeybees. As Asian beetles continue their march and expansion across the Americas, the honeybee will also continue to be threatened by the public's increased use of Permethrin to fight the beetles each fall. If the government or Monsanto are responsible for the introduction of the Asian Beetle, then their actions may have forever harmed the honeybee and the people who farm the honey they make.

Our Plan Of Attack - The GREAT SUCK

Our shop vac is great for sucking these guys in and disposing of them. We have decided, because this is now a yearly issue to get a handheld battery vacuum to use around the house. More on that another day.

Jaimie vacuums around the door where the beetle are gaining access in a tiny crevice. They can really crawl through some tight spaces. Once in, they head to the light of the windows...I guess because they want to go back outside. They should have just stayed outside to begin with.

Are you having issues this fall with Asian Beetles? I would urge you to adopt conventional weapons to fight your battle as the most recommended chemical warfare methods you will find have been proven to harm animals and honeybees. Stay away from the Permethrin. Once you read about it, you won't want it anywhere on your homestead or home.