Asian lady beetles

[watchdogps]

Does anyone have chickens that eat them? If so, can I borrow them? Lol! Mine think they are horriblle, won't touch em. Sure wish they would, I wouldn't have to spend a dime on feed right now!

 

[gritsar]

At least twice a year Weyerhauser Timber Company drops lady beetles (bugs) on us by helicopter. They do this because the lady bugs eat the pine beetles that destroy pine trees. Within hours of the drop the exterior walls of my house and my coops are covered in the dang things.

When I first got chickens I was looking forward to them gobbling up the beetles. Nope, won't touch em.

 

[Orchid]

My chickens won't touch those things with a 39 1/2 foot pole. With the way the beetles smell, I can hardly blame them - imagine how they must taste!

My dorky dog will eat one now and then, though.

 

[chicmom]

ARG! Those are just evil bugs disguised as darling little lady bugs! I have had several in the house lately and they drive me nuts.....They poop little black dots on things, and you can't swat them because they stink, and I suck them up in my sweeper but then they make my sweeper stink.....

Pesky little critters for sure!

 

[johnsons-r-us]

We must have different ones here (don't notice a smell?).....my hubby was just commenting how the chickens must have taken care of those lady bug things (thought they were Japanese beatles?) because we've only seen a random couple around at all this year. Are they out now? My chickens free range though....so maybe if they're finding their own food they can't pass up free bugs?

I hope they take care of the spring spiders too!

This is our first year with chickens....and in the past we battle those goofy bugs for weeks it seems.

 

[LiLRedCV]

Quote:
I wonder if that's what Weyerhaueser is doing to us too! We live in WA state and they have many of the first timber rights out here. We've had ladybug issues since we bought our house 9yrs ago. Could never figure out "why" we had so very, very, very many of them. THOUSANDS on the exterior, HUNDREDS in the interior.

We have helicopters flying over us frequently (most of them from Ft. Lewis). They've been mostly hanging out in our upstairs bathroom. Hundreds of them! Very stinky to suck up into your vacuum cleaners. Nasty little buggers... used to love them until we bought this house. Now? Hate 'em!

 

[jmtcmkb]

We have them here and they do smell!! They seem to like the side of my house that gets afternoon sunshine, its' annoying trying to get in the side door when they cover the whole area- some years are worse than others, so far not too bad this year. Reminds me of gypsy moth caterpillars when I was young yuck, those things were everywhere for a few years.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
I wonder if that's what Weyerhaueser is doing to us too! We live in WA state and they have many of the first timber rights out here. We've had ladybug issues since we bought our house 9yrs ago. Could never figure out "why" we had so very, very, very many of them. THOUSANDS on the exterior, HUNDREDS in the interior.

We have helicopters flying over us frequently (most of them from Ft. Lewis). They've been mostly hanging out in our upstairs bathroom. Hundreds of them! Very stinky to suck up into your vacuum cleaners. Nasty little buggers... used to love them until we bought this house. Now? Hate 'em!

I should correct myself, the lady beetles don't eat the pine beetles, they eat the pine beetle larva. But yes, Weyerhauser is probably responsible for the ones you see. Every year after they drop them on us there's a debate that occurs on the local radio station - do the beetles bite or is it a pinch? I'm in the pinch camp.

 

[LiLRedCV]

Quote:
I wonder if that's what Weyerhaueser is doing to us too! We live in WA state and they have many of the first timber rights out here. We've had ladybug issues since we bought our house 9yrs ago. Could never figure out "why" we had so very, very, very many of them. THOUSANDS on the exterior, HUNDREDS in the interior.

We have helicopters flying over us frequently (most of them from Ft. Lewis). They've been mostly hanging out in our upstairs bathroom. Hundreds of them! Very stinky to suck up into your vacuum cleaners. Nasty little buggers... used to love them until we bought this house. Now? Hate 'em!

I should correct myself, the lady beetles don't eat the pine beetles, they eat the pine beetle larva. But yes, Weyerhauser is probably responsible for the ones you see. Every year after they drop them on us there's a debate that occurs on the local radio station - do the beetles bite or is it a pinch? I'm in the pinch camp.

Whichever it may be - pinch or bite - they hurt when they do it!

 

[Orchid]

Quote:
I should correct myself, the lady beetles don't eat the pine beetles, they eat the pine beetle larva. But yes, Weyerhauser is probably responsible for the ones you see. Every year after they drop them on us there's a debate that occurs on the local radio station - do the beetles bite or is it a pinch? I'm in the pinch camp.

Whichever it may be - pinch or bite - they hurt when they do it!

It does hurt! Our state department of natural resources maintains their stance that the beetles do not bite OR pinch. Apparently no one at the DNR ever actually stands outside.