Box elder and asian beetle prevention?

Question

I am looking for a non-toxic solution to deter box elder bugs and asian beetles from entering my home via doors and window cracks. Any ideas?

Answer 1

put wire mesh screens on all windows and doors.

Answer 2

The number one best thing you can do is the most time consuming. Get yourself several tubes of caulk and a gun and go around the exterior of you house and fill every hole you see, especially on the WEST & SOUTH sides of the house. Asian ladybugs like the warmer walls--hence West and South. If they can't get inbetween the outer wall and inner wall of your house they have very little chance of causing you trouble.

In the meantime when you see them swarming on the outside of the house you can spray them with malathion or sevin liquid. Test spray a small spot of your sising that isn't easily visible to see if the chemicals discolor the siding. They're not supposed to but it's better to check and make sure. Both are adequately strong enough to kill them. Don't use either on the inside of your house.

Lady bugs, I must interject are very valuable insects because they eat most pesty insects so it's good to have them AROUND your house, not IN your house. So I would strongly recommend the caulk solution. Beside you only have to caulk once--you have to spray every year.