Asian lady beetles are swarming the Mid-Atlantic thanks to warm, fall weather

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Multicolored Asian lady beetles are swarming in large numbers across the Mid-Atlantic because of late fall warmth. Also called ladybird beetles, this type of ladybug smells bad, can bite you and, if you squish it, produces a messy, yellow stain. This is another invasive insect that has found a home in our area.

The Asian lady beetles are not to be confused with the native ladybugs found mostly in the Western United States, although both come from the same taxonomic group, according to Dan Gruner, a professor of entomology at the University of Maryland. The Asian lady beetles, their color varying from red to orange, are larger and identified by the “M” marking where their heads meet their wings. The native ladybugs tend to have a brighter red color.

source : https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/11/10/asian-lady-beetles-ladybugs-dc/