Tim Summa wrote:
Has any one else had this problem? Does anyone know the why and what of this change in attribute for the lady bug?

You might be seeing ladybug's evil twin cousin.

Vintagevista wrote:
It's Zombie Ladybugs......

...with ebola.

Vintagevista wrote:
It's Zombie Ladybugs......

Paolo Diavolo wrote:
...with ebola.

and the OP  is in Texas. Aint that where it all started?

.......better quarantine the state. Probably should add New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana just to be safe. Close the airports. Better add seaports, train and bus stations too. Shut down the freeways.

....if those zombie ladybugs get a foothold- we are screwed!

Raoul Isidro Images wrote:
It may be the dreaded Eutrombicula Alfreddugesi.

They look like tiny ladybugs but they are not...

https://insects.tamu.edu/extension/publ … /e-365.cfm

.

Thanks, I just though I would 'ask' here in the forums, but everyone is gearing up for Halloween so the rush of silly comments. But thanks for the heads up, I am vary aware of Texas A&M in Collage Station. These are not chiggers and they are not some species from Asia, these are common Americana Lady Bugs.

I am concerned, I will capture the next ones and off to Collage Station they will be shipped. The A&M needs to be given notice of these events. Sounds silly doesn’t it?

In 1978, early Summer, April into May a vary weird thing happened. Just prior to thunderstorms there is a shift in the charged particles in the atmosphere. What happened that summer was a truly strange event. Fire Ants were drawn to the electrical plates that are the switching triggers for water well systems. The ants would swarm over the charged plates across the south and east of San Antonio and the areas around the rural environments. We all collectively lost pumps because the solenoids were insulated from contact with the switching plates.

When Haskin’s Pump Service got to my place the guy off the truck said the service was overwhelmed with calls. Being a photographer with caned air we used it to blow hundreds of dead Fire Ants off the contact for my solenoid. I gave him a handful of the canisters to give to the other guys and when ever a thunderstorm showed we would wait till it passed and then went and lifted the contact plate and shot compressed air to rid the plates of dead Fire Ants.

It was ONLY Fire Ants and this went on from then on. I have not had a well in many years but I do know that A&M was investigating why the Fire Ants and only this type of ant was drawn to the electrical contacts during thunderstorms.

Everyone jokes about Texas A&M, but the jokes are only small ones…these guys do amazing work and they help everyone, not only farmers and ranchers. Them are good people at Collage Station.

Model Sarah wrote:
It's an Asian lady beetle. A native of Asia, this beneficial ladybug was imported in the early 1900's to help naturally control pest populations that were damaging such crops as alfalfa, pecan and citrus trees. They've released them more and more the past 15 years and they seem to be everywhere. But I've only ever seen them in northern Minnesota. I was modeling in the woods one day and was bitten by a ton of them. Never left any welts or anything just super annoying.

Do you happen to remember what time of year?

Toto Photo wrote:

Do you happen to remember what time of year?

Ehh....I only go to Minnesota three times a year and I'm 90% positive it was the summer, so probably July. It was two or three years ago. They were pretty bad. They were on the north shore in the woods where the sun was and also on the bluffs of the Mississippi in Wisconsin as well.

Herman Surkis wrote:
Re Asian Lady Beetle.

They often congregate in sunlit areas because of the heat available, so even on fairly cold winter days, some of the hibernating beetles will "wake up" because of solar heating. These large populations can be problematic because they can form swarms and linger in an area for a long time. These beetles can form groups that tend to stay in upper corners of windows. This beetle has been also found to be attracted to dark screening material for its warmth. This beetle has good eyesight, and will come back from where it was removed,

and is known to produce a small bite if provoked.[14]

H. axyridis, like other lady beetles or ladybirds, uses isopropyl methoxy pyrazine as a defensive chemical to deter predation, but also contains this chemical in its hemolymph at much higher concentrations than many other such species, along with species/genus-specific defensive compounds such as harmonine. These insects will "reflex bleed" when agitated, releasing hemolymph from their legs. The liquid has a foul odour (similar to that of dead leaves) and can cause stains. Some people have allergic reactions, including allergic rhinoconjunctivitis when exposed to these beetles.[1]

Sometimes, the beetles will bite humans,[1] presumably in an attempt to acquire salt, although many people feel a pricking sensation as a lady beetle walks across the skin, which is just the pressure from the ladybird's feet. Bites normally do no more harm than cause irritation, although a small number of people are allergic to bites.[15]

Yeah I hit a clearing in the woods where the sun was and that's where they were. Swarms of them.

Model Sarah wrote:
It's an Asian lady beetle. A native of Asia, this beneficial ladybug was imported in the early 1900's to help naturally control pest populations that were damaging such crops as alfalfa, pecan and citrus trees. They've released them more and more the past 15 years and they seem to be everywhere. But I've only ever seen them in northern Minnesota. I was modeling in the woods one day and was bitten by a ton of them. Never left any welts or anything just super annoying.

I was bitten by swarms of mosquitoes a few weeks ago in northern Michigan.  They are not usually around this late.  It is probably because of all the rain this year.

Toto Photo wrote:
At first I thought you were loco but you seemed genuine so I Googled and found out you speak truth, even to the time of year... "When large numbers of beetles are flying in the fall, they often land on clothing and occasionally will bite or 'pinch' if in contact with skin. In nature, lady beetles eat other insects and have chewing mouthparts. The bite feels like a pinprick and is seldom serious."

From University of Kentucky on Ladybugs

Sorry to hear you're going to now kill them as they are great at killing insects that are harmful to your garden, on the other hand I'm not sure how many pinpricks I'd suffer before seeking revenge myself.

Thank you! I am apparently not crazy.
A friend of mine who models for me has a sister, a vet, grad of A&M who just confirmed that I am indeed not crazy. At this time of year but at any time the common version of the Lady Bug can indeed deliver a bite and is not uncommon. Thing is that these silly critters are not just delivering a bite but are biting and hanging on. When it is on an area I can not see (like my back) I just do that natural thing and whack them.

On another note the part about wasp and hornets, as a control problem. If you are having an issue with these little fellers there is an old country trick. Painting under eves or even the insides of barns and out buildings a color that is between orange and red, more in the direction of red will keep these flying critters from building nests as well as making them just not interested in these surfaces. I lived in the country and found this worked in the garage, out buildings and along the edge of the house.

Again, thanks for the help!

Jim Ball wrote:
"Lady Bugs Bite" sounds like a good name for an all girl punk band.

Now don't you start in with that!

I got a set of cheesy lady bug wings and they sit in the storage section of the props. Now if I get vary naughty in my mind (vary easy with me), I could use these with liquid latex and do a Halloween shoot...thing is making the big jaw to bite...hummmmmm...or perhaps a stinger!

Where did I put that box with the anal beads...