Article: Fixit; Ladybirds, cluster flies are harmless, short-lived.(VARIETY)

Q - Last June we bought a cedar log vacation home in northern Wisconsin. All winter we have noticed that there are ladybugs and, to a lesser extent, flies that make their way into our home. Is there something we can spray in the fall to lessen the problem? If not, what could we do to lessen the number in our house?

A - The insects you are finding are multicolored Asian ladybird beetles and cluster flies. Both are notorious for moving into homes and other buildings, often in large numbers, during fall as they seek shelter for the winter. They wedge themselves into small spaces on the outside of buildings, where they normally stay dormant for the winter.

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