Are Ladybugs Poisonous? | Ladybugs Might be Cute, But Are They Dangerous?

Some people look at ladybugs and coo at their cuteness. Meanwhile, others look at them and see a portent of their worst nightmare: death by ladybug.

Are you yourself scared of ladybugs, believing them to be poisonous creatures out to get you in your own house or garden? What gave you the idea that they might be? Have you heard of dangerous ladybug attacks?

But then again, fear can be irrational. Are ladybugs poisonous? There’s a simple answer here. Ladybugs or, more accurately ladybird beetles, are not poisonous to humans, but do have toxic effects on some smaller animals such as birds and lizards. Most of the time, predators are warned off by the ladybugs’ foul odor and bright red or orange color. In nature, bright colors in animals usually mean that they’re poisonous.

What will happen if someone ingests a ladybug?

It’s generally an unpleasant experience because of the foul taste, but it shouldn’t harm the individual one way or another.

What if the ladybug bit you instead?

You would feel the pinch, of course, but there wouldn’t be any venom or irritating saliva as with mosquitoes and black flies.

So, are ladybugs poisonous?

The answer is, no, not to humans. Having established this, do you want them in your home? It’s not really a question of want because you don’t have much say in it if they were able to find their way inside. The poor things are just trying to find a warm place to hibernate in. What you may find disturbing though is that they hibernate in groups. Even cute ladybugs are bound to give you the creeps if you find them in clusters. If it’s any comfort though, they won’t feed on your clothes, household items, or the house itself. They’ll just quietly cohabitate with you for the winter and be on their way come spring.

Nonetheless, if you really don’t want them in your home, make sure that you don’t have any damaged clapboards, windows, and door trims. Take the time to caulk any and all of the cracks on the exterior side of your house. If they’re already in and you want them out, don’t try to do it yourself. You’ll only end up disturbing them and causing them to leave smelly yellow stains on your home. That would actually be their blood, which they excrete a bit when they sense danger. If you want an efficient removal of the bugs, get your Modesto pest control company to do it for you.

What about your garden?

Ladybugs don’t eat plants either. In fact, if you’re a keen gardener and pride yourself on your prize roses, then you’ll learn to love ladybugs since they eat aphids. These, as you know, are minuscule bugs that have caused the ruin of many a rose bush. Now, if you really don’t want ladybugs anywhere near you, make sure you don’t plant anything that aphids love because when the aphids come, the ladybugs won’t be far behind.

To summarize, ladybugs aren’t poisonous, but they can cause annoyance in your home (bites, stains, stench, and general creepiness), so your local Modesto pest control specialist will not think you’re crazy for calling them to get rid of cute ladybugs.