HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — They say ladybugs bring good luck. But if you see hundreds of them making themselves at home near your doors and windows, you might not feel so lucky.
The Pest Rangers in Luzerne County are getting a lot of traffic on their website from customers concerned about a new invader in their home.
"And I said, 'Wow, there's like 80 people on the site,' and they're all looking at ladybugs," said Jeffrey King of the Pest Rangers.
It turns out that the dotted red shell is not unique to just one insect.
"Most people think they're ladybugs, but they're not. They're actually Asian lady beetles. They were introduced to the United States by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the 60s and 70s to control other pests."
They're often called the "Halloween beetle" - the bugs often invade homes around this time of year, just as the weather starts to change.
"Most of the calls we get, they're congregated in like a corner of the house. People are concerned because they actually stain the paint. They secrete a yellow-orange liquid that can stain the paint. So the best thing people can do when they're in the house is just vacuum them," said King.
Getting rid of an infestation is important, but it's even better to prevent it from happening in the first place. The Pest Rangers say there are things you can do now to protect your home.
"Best thing for people to do is take the air conditioners out of the windows, seal up any holes around the home. As nights are getting cooler and the days are warm, that's when they're starting to come into the home," warns King.
This spooky season, The Pest Rangers are busy helping customers who want to keep the ghouls and goblins in but the Halloween beetles out.