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How to Prevent Ladybug Swarms

Ladybugs seem to be harmless creatures but look out they can leave a mess in your home. The moment the temperature drops below 70 degrees, you’ll find southerners putting on cozy sweaters, lighting our favorite pumpkin candles, and sitting out on our  front porches sipping hot cocoa. Those crisp morning breezes inspire us to dig into our Halloween candy and rewatch all of our favorite scary movies, but they can also attract creepy crawlies like spiders, snakes, and… ladybugs? Read on to understand what causes ladybug swarms in the fall, what species are known for home invasions, potential damages, and helpful tips for keeping these bugs out of your house. 

What causes ladybug swarms?

While over 400 species of ladybugs live in the U.S., it’s the Asian Lady Beetle that causes so many problems for homeowners. As their name implies, these bugs are native to Asia and surrounding countries, including China, Korea, Russia, and Japan. They were purposefully introduced to the United States to control the aphid population, earning them a favorable reputation from gardeners. As winter falls, ladybugs will vanish from our yards to hibernate, but the Asian Lady Beetles instinctively gather in huge groups to brace themselves for the colder weather. After the first freeze hits, these small speckled bugs are looking for a warm place to cozy up together – and your house may be first on their list. 

How to identify Asian Lady Beetles:


Asian Lady Beetles can be distinguished from the more common American Ladybug by two distinctive features: color and pattern. American Ladybugs are dark red with black spots, and have two white circles on their pronotum, the appendage that connects the head to the body. Asian Lady Beetles, on the other hand, are yellow or orange with black spots, and have a white “W” shape on their pronotum. If you look closely, you’ll see that Asian Lady Beetles are the unwelcome guests in your home. 

Are swarms dangerous?

Ladybugs can’t bite humans and aren’t poisonous, so while they don’t pose a physical threat, they can be an inconvenience. The little bugs tend to gather on window sills, near doors, and along baseboards, and since the air inside dehydrates them, it’s not long before you have as many dead bugs as you do live ones. Ladybugs won’t damage structures by chewing away at wood, but they do release a small amount of yellow, foul-smelling liquid if they feel threatened. The telltale stains show up on walls, carpets, and furniture, and are accompanied by an unpleasant odor. 

Tips for preventing ladybug swarms:


To help prevent ladybugs from swarming, seal up cracks and crevices, keep windows closed, and vacuum up or otherwise remove any stray bugs you happen to see. Before it gets too cold outside, consider scheduling a home inspection. Home inspections identify where pests may be coming in and if there are any existing pest colonies in or around your house. After the home inspection is complete, your pest control service can develop targeted prevention or treatment strategies to keep your house bug-free. Don’t let ladybugs haunt your home this fall.

Contact us online or give us a call at (843) 461-5169 to book a home inspection with Exclusive Pest Control of Charleston, SC.

Heat – The Solution For Bed Bugs

Bed bugs. They’re creepy, crawly, and they’re coming for your blood. And worst of all, they are difficult if not impossible to completely get rid of. Here at Exclusive Pest Control, we have the answer to your pest problem. That answer would be heat.

The Heat is On for Bed Bugs

Of all the methods used to kill bed bugs in all stages of their life cycle, heat is the single most effective way to kill bed bugs dead. It kills the eggs as well the bugs. And all it takes is twenty-four hours. You will even be able to keep your furniture. It’s that effective. Plus, it will not damage any of your furniture or any part of your residence. Application of heat to kill bed bugs will not leave any chemical residue. It’s completely safe for your family and any pets.

Using equipment and training provided by Convectex, the most effective equipment available, our technicians know how to best employ heat so that it penetrates to all the places where bed bugs might hide―the mattress, box springs, even your living room furniture and the walls. No matter how big your residence and no matter how big your infestation, all it takes is just one treatment and your problem is dead.

The Number One Choice

Exclusive Pest Control is the leading pest control company in the area. Our technicians have years of experience as well as extensive training. Plus, our technicians will always be on time for their scheduled appointments, will always be courteous and have a professional appearance. We’ve been in the pest control industry for years. Our focus is on making you, your home and your family as comfortable and safe as possible.

We can heat one room or a whole structure, depending on the size of the structure to be treated and the severity of the bed bug problem. If you ever need us again, for bed bugs or for any kind of unwanted pests, we are just a phone call away.

Whether it’s a one-time call or a long-term control solution you need, we can be your pest control solution. No matter what kind of pest problem you have, we have the training and experience to deal with it. We will provide you and your family with superior protection, with a customized service plan in place for every customer we service.

Best in the Business

Our techs have years of experience and all the latest training at their disposal, so they know the safest way to get rid of your bed bug problem. They are hired to be trustworthy, will always show up on time to a customer’s residence, and will always have a professional appearance and demeanor. They will always be willing to help you get rid of your pest problem.

For more information about our heat treatment, contact us online or give us a call at (843)461-5169.

Bed Bug Treatments

Despite the saying, “Good night. Sleep tight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite” no one sleeps tight knowing there’s unwelcome bedfellows. Knowing when to treat for bedbugs (as soon as you see one) is a no-brainer, but there may be more to identifying bed bugs than you know. With proper identification of your target pest being your fastest ticket to effective bed bug treatments, it’s important to rule out other pests that may be posing as bed bugs.

Fleas, Ticks, and Bed Bugs, Oh My!

When inspecting your home to determine if you have bed bugs, there are characteristics of these creepy little pests that distinguish them from similar household pests, such as fleas and ticks.

  • Length: approximately 3/16 to 1/4 inch long, similar in size to an apple seed
  • Brown coloration
  • Flat, oval body when unfed, balloon-like and longer in length after feeding
  • Active mainly at night
  • Sweet, musty odor, especially in large populations
  • Prefers human blood to pets
  • Susceptible to temperature extremes, will die at 113 degrees

Although bed bugs don’t carry diseases, bites from them can cause considerable discomfort and itching, as well as one of the most unsettling feelings known to man. Fleas and ticks on the other hand, can spread various serious or life-threatening diseases.

How to Begin with Bed Bug Treatments

After definitive identification, the first step in treating for bed bugs is inspecting your entire home to assess the size of your bed bug population and where they are the most concentrated. This is done by a professional pest control company for the most thorough inspection to ensure that all bases are covered when treatment is performed.

Although bed bugs are found anywhere within 8 feet of where a person commonly rests or sleeps, their populations can sprawl into other areas of your home. Prominent bed bug havens include:

  • Bed linens, mattresses, box springs
  • Curtains, behind peeling wallpaper
  • In and under carpeting
  • Cracks in wood, such as furniture or hardwood floors
  • Piles of clothing

Heat Treatment for Bed Bugs

There are plenty of home remedies for bed bug treatments floating around the web, from mint leaves to rubbing alcohol, and baking soda to boric acid. You don’t want to rest on your laurels with bed bugs, however. They can rapidly infest your home while you test out ineffective treatments before finding one that really works. Your best bet for killing bed bugs for good is to seek the help of a professional pest control service.

One simple, but innovative method for getting rid of bed bugs is the use of extreme heat and is offered by the best pest control Charleston has to offer. Exclusive Pest Control Charleston provides heat treatments that will kill all the bed bugs Charleston, SC has to offer within hours, as well as their eggs, and can reach into areas that chemicals can’t. Additionally, 95 percent of the time, you won’t need a second treatment and can keep your mattress and furniture with peace of mind. For more information about how to get rid of your bed bugs, contact us to schedule an inspection.

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