asian lady beetles - can we turn a 'negative' into a 'positive'?

[cathleenc]

is there anything positive to be done with the hoards of asian lady beetles that are now waking up and flying around?

Can we feed them to the chickens or turkeys with success? Do anything useful with them?

Our house was 'sheeted' with zillions of them last fall. oh the fun....

[edcopp]

I know of no use for these things, except that our neighbors 2 year old grandaughter used to like to eat them

[BaronsMom]

Originally Posted by cathleenc

is there anything positive to be done with the hoards of asian lady beetles that are now waking up and flying around?

Can we feed them to the chickens or turkeys with success? Do anything useful with them?

Our house was 'sheeted' with zillions of them last fall. oh the fun....

These are lady bugs - - so they are extremely beneficial predators. Mostly of nasty plant-juice sucking aphids. Our chickens/turkeys won't eat them - but once plants start coming up will be greatful to see these pesky ladybugs eating all those nasty aphids.

[vicker]

They aren't Lady Bugs they, are Asain Beatles. And you are right, chickens won't eat them. Maybe you could load them into shotgun shells and use them for birdshot

[cathleenc]

Lady bugs - welcome any day. Asian Lady Beetles - blech.

[Quint]

I vacuum them up with the shop vac, dump them in the burning barrel, soak them with gasoline or diesel and burn them.

Unlike labybugs the imported Asian beetles have no redeeming value except as an object lesson in invasive species.

[dancingbear]

Don't they even eat aphids? I know they do bite, sometimes. Nasty little things.

[paintlady]

ARound here they are used to control soybean aphids. They come out this time of year and disappear after the soybeans are growing. In the fall after soybean harvest they come back because their food source is gone. While they can be a nuisance, they are a good thing.

[Rita]

With the gazillions around the house you would think you would find at least a few in the garden eating aphids during the growing season, NOT!

[Minelson]

They entertain the cats....only thing I can think of.

[dragonflyz9C]

Both posters are correct... they are Asian Lady Beetls.

You might find this link interesting.

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/ladybeetles.html