Our Rural Roots

Katie Pratt, Contributor

Harvest promises several things -- early mornings, late nights, meals eaten fieldside, breakdowns, chauffeuring, "go-fering" and beetles. With soybeans surrounding the farmstead this year, I mentally prepared for the "beetle battle" early. Asian lady beetles lay siege to the Midwest every spring and fall. They fly from soybean fields at harvest searching for shelter, hibernate through the winter in our homes and emerge when the sun shines each spring.

The multicolored beneficial insect arrived in the United States in 1916 as part of a federal effort to control tree-eating bugs and aphids. Another round was introduced in the mid-'60s, late '70s and early '80s, firmly establishing the beetles as part of the North American ecosystem, which does not include any of their naturally occurring predators. Vacuums do not count.

USDA's Agricultural Research Service acknowledges the unfortunate results of introducing non-native species into a new ecosystem: "It is probable that their introduction into new habitats in the United States freed these lady beetles from some natural population checks and balances that occur within their native Asian range."

Birds and other insects have yet to include the beetle as a part of their balanced diet. When squashed, the beetles emit a yellow fluid that not only stinks but stains walls, fabrics and siding. Our front door is a popular gathering place in the fall. "Eau de beetle" doesn't exactly evoke "Welcome to Our Home."

Despite their numbers, the beetles do not damage structures. In their native ecosystem, they would hibernate in cliff walls. On prairie flatlands, they snuggle into buildings and on warm days emerge to soak up the sun.

I've found the vacuum an effective tool against large amounts of beetles. Duct tape picks up smaller, harder-to-reach groupings. My farmer wants to mount a bug zapper in the living room. I appreciate these ladies for their abilities to eat bad bugs but sure wish they would respect boundaries.

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-- Katie Pratt writes and battles beetles from a north-central Illinois farm. Find her blog at https://theillinoisfarmgirl.com/…

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