This time of year in Maine you can count on several things...the foliage turning from all shades of green into bright oranges, reds, golds, yellows and ambers, the snowbirds retreating to warmer climes, the little dairy shacks that dot the coastline shuttering up for the winter, and our annual invasion of winged beasts. These kinds of winged beasts in particular...
We have several of these "groups" of ladybugs throughout the entire house. The harder we try to control the invading hordes, the worse it seems to get. I gave up counting when I got to 100. And what does one call a group of ladybugs like this? A pod? Pride? Coven? Well, if you're an almost-four-year-old, you call them a "Schnooff of ladybugs." Don't even attempt to call them anything else because you will be sternly corrected by the small person.
Frankly I'd be willing to bet we have several little ladybug orgies going on throughout our house...but I dare not speak those words aloud else I'll have a certain little person repeating them at the most inopportune times.
The first fall that we were here at the asylum we got a real taste of what this yearly invasion of ladybugs was like. Prior to that we'd had a few get in to whatever house we were in, but nothing like that first year here. Gaby was roughly 21 months old at the time and was intrigued and beguiled by the ladybugs, but still a tad apprehensive...
I love how she says "ladybugs." Cracks me up every time!
Last year the invasion wasn't as um...well, plentiful as it is this year so we didn't pay too much attention to it. However this year, with the sheer volume alone, it's really hard to ignore. Oh and then there's the feline factor. Oiy! Our sheers in the front room are pretty much history due to the cats shredding them whilst climbing, in order to get to a nice, fat, juicy, red beetle! Gaby is still beguiled by them, but after watching the first video, and now this one, you can tell that certain things never change - despite growing older, both she and I jump when we're holding one and they take to the air...
I guess I should be grateful for the fact that it's only ladybugs we're dealing with and not an invasion of fiddler crabs, eh CBW?
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Spray on a thick coat of paint and they'll look like some, well, unusually thick ceiling texture stuff.
The headroom might get a little limited after a few decades, though...
Posted by: Bob Cleveland | Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Spray on a thick coat of paint and they'll look like some, well, unusually thick ceiling texture stuff.
The headroom might get a little limited after a few decades, though...
Posted by: Bob Cleveland | Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 10:05 PM
It's not an invasion...it's an infestation!
A whole *herd* of ladybugs has taken over your space. STand up for your rights now, otherwise you'll be taking orders from them. They'll attempt a coup!
You have my deepest sympathies. If you need to escape, you know where to come. (But now if you don't like fiddler crabs.)
Posted by: Chesapeake Bay Woman | Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 11:13 PM
Wow is Gabby ever sweet! We too are suffering from LadyBugitious. What ever you do don't suck them up with the vacuum and forget to change the bag! Yuck what a smell. I was thinking of bombing the house!
Posted by: melissa | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 08:29 AM
I have been hearing a lot on blogs and the news about ladybug infestations this year....must be a banner crop out there!!
Posted by: Debbie | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 08:41 AM
I keep hearing about these ladybug invasions. What happens? Do they stay all winter? Do people kill them or do you all just co-exist?
Posted by: Maureen@IslandRoar | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 08:54 AM
I saw a few of those ladies at my house last week.
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Posted by: noe noe girl | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 11:02 AM
They covered the back of our house last week! I don't mind them usually, they are great for my garden but man, enough is enough!
Posted by: Andrea Fishlock | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Cute videos. Love how she said No to the spider.
Ramona
Posted by: Ramona | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 12:58 PM
EVERYONE I know has ladybugs! Except me. Damn. Gaby is adorable as always.
Posted by: Marlene | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 01:28 PM
I am sooo glad I don't have ladybugs in my house. I wouldn't be able to live in it. I am that big of a wuss when it comes to bugs.
Posted by: Miranda | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 02:57 PM
Lucky you. We just get an influx of spiders. Not quite as adorable, especially when they are huddled in a "schnoof."
Posted by: MomZombie | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 03:18 PM
Mom Zombie,
I want you to know I just had a little seizure reading your comment. If we had spiders (we do get them pretty bad, but nothing like with the ladybugs) the way we have ladybugs, I would seriously be in a corner, rocking back and forth, drooling all over myself and crying violently!
We do however have a lot of Nurse spiders outside. I'm not going to set them alight this year like I did last year simply because they are underneath the handrails on the steps which lead into the house. I'd likely burn down the entire house if I did that! I think I'm just going to go and get some bio-spray this year and hopefully that will keep them from getting INTO the house.
*shivers*
Audrey
Posted by: Audrey | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 03:24 PM
Miranda - I get it, believe me, I do!
Marlene - No ladybugs? I can send some, lots!
Ramona - She gets the "Just say NO to spiders!!!" from her mommy!
Andrea - covered the back of your house? Can you imagine what that would be like if they were IN your house? *lol* I WISH I could get them to go be beneficial in my garden. Oh wait, that's right, I have NO GARDEN. Oiy!
NoeNoe Girl - They "get around" that way...cheeky little buggars!
Maureen - I think I've finally figured out why they invade the inside of our house. I don't have a garden that would support the kind of ladybug invasion we have. I think that's why they come inside. We've pretty much learned to co-exist with them. One thing I have been made painfully aware of though is that when you suck up the "schnoofs" into your vacuum? Empty it OUTSIDE because they smell horrid! Cute they might be, but awful they smell!
Posted by: Audrey | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 03:40 PM
Debbie - I seem to be hearing a lot more about ladybugs this year too. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that we didn't really have much of a summer and what we did have was really wet?
Melissa - Yeah, I discovered the thing with the vacuum cleaner earlier. We have a Dyson and I usually empty the canister thingy after each use, but even though I did that, they still smelled awful! Next time I'm doing it OUTSIDE!
CBW - I like that, "herds"....*lol* I guess we need a ladybug wrangler then? Unfortunately the small person in residence insists on calling them "schnoofs" of ladybugs.
Bob - That's actually a great idea taking into consideration how short Gareth and I are.
Posted by: Audrey | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 04:05 PM
Audrey how beautiful Gaby is! I loved seeing the video from two years ago and the recent one. Look how big she's getting!
I miss reading you as often as I used to. I'm checking in from Brugges. Can't wait to get back on US soil and catch up with the goings ons at the asylum.
Are you still going to be doing the Target gift card giveaway and if you are, is it going to be open to those of us *cough* who read you religiously but don't have blogs of our own?
Be well friend!
Merritt
Posted by: Merritt | Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 08:55 PM
We had a ladybug infestation before. Actually, it was a "Japanese Beetle" infestation. I had gardeners offering to buy them from me.
Make lemonade. :)
Posted by: KimberlyDi | Friday, October 30, 2009 at 08:24 AM