The ladybug is a symbol of good luck and helps control pests like aphids in gardens, solving plant damage problems for people. However, they should ideally operate in gardens rather than invading homes, ending up trapped on windowsills or wandering around kitchens. Experts suggest that placing a common household item near doors and windows can prevent them from entering.
According to the UK’s Daily Express, ladybugs pose no harm to humans or property but are best kept in gardens where they can feed on pests instead of flying around homes.
If ladybugs keep entering your home, a natural repellent that can be used to deter them is lemon peel. Ladybugs dislike the smell of citrus fruits, especially lemon peels which have a stronger scent compared to orange peels.
Adams Selfstore is a company in the UK that offers various storage units for rent. The company’s owner, Chris Hutton, mentioned that ladybugs are attracted by food and may enter homes or storage units, especially on cooler nights.
Hutton explained that citrus fruits like oranges can easily keep ladybugs away as they detest the strong scent of citrus peels. Placing fresh peels near doors and windows can prevent ladybugs from entering, avoiding food waste or the use of harmful chemicals.
He emphasized that using citrus fruit peels is a safe, effective, and environmentally friendly method to prevent ladybugs from invading homes or storage units, a simple method that anyone can try.
To maintain the effectiveness of this method, regularly changing the fruit peels and sealing any gaps around doors and windows is recommended to prevent ladybugs from invading.
However, ladybugs are beneficial for gardens, so encouraging them to migrate to the garden is a good idea.
Nick Wood, a gardening expert from Gardening Express in the UK, highlighted that ladybugs are one of the best natural pest control methods.
Wood suggested inviting ladybugs into your garden to reduce the use of chemicals, protect your plants, and support local wildlife survival.
Creating a garden suitable for ladybugs doesn’t mean allowing it to become unkempt. Making small changes such as planting appropriate flowers or leaving a pile of logs can make a significant difference.
According to the BBC, Helen Roy, a ladybug expert from the UK Centre For Ecology & Hydrology, mentioned that the increasing temperature leads to a rise in the aphid population, resulting in more ladybugs feeding on them.
Roy advised providing shallow trays with water for insects during hot weather to help care for them. Leaving aphids on roses and other plants in the garden ensures ladybugs have sufficient food.
Tim Coulson, a professor of animal biology and director of the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, emphasized that ladybugs are effective predators against aphids, which are major pests for many plant species. People should learn to appreciate ladybugs.
He mentioned that an increase in the ladybug population should not be seen as a negative thing. It serves as a reminder of the vital role these predators play in maintaining the ecological balance of the Earth.