Will ladybugs hurt my hatchling Hermann's?

fancydeer

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I have a hatchling Hermann's and an swarm of ladybugs currently infesting my house that I just can NOT get rid of. Is there any way they can hurt my baby tortoise? The ones that I have found in it's cage and removed and then killed my tortoise hasn't seemed to even notice but I don't want it to either eat them or be bitten by them. I already had one hatchling die on me I really can't handle it if another dies.

(Also if anyone knows how to get rid of a ladybug infestation that would be great too. It's pretty common here.)
 

Yvonne G

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I have been bitten by a lady bug before, and was pretty amazed as I thought they were benign. I really doubt they will harm your baby, but I understand your concern. Lots of people use diatomaceous earth to get rid of bugs and it doesn't harm the tortoise. You might try that. Buy food grade.
 

Maro2Bear

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Loohan

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I have been bitten by them before more than once too. They swarm by the thousands late in the year on at least one of my buildings, finding any crack possible, like the drain holes at the bottom of window screens, to find a nesting place.
Meanwhile apparently ignoring the aphids on my kale...
 

Tom

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I have been bitten by them before more than once too. They swarm by the thousands late in the year on at least one of my buildings, finding any crack possible, like the drain holes at the bottom of window screens, to find a nesting place.
Meanwhile apparently ignoring the aphids on my kale...
Its their larvae that are the voracious aphid eaters. More so than the adults anyway.
 

Maro2Bear

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I have been bitten by them before more than once too. They swarm by the thousands late in the year on at least one of my buildings, finding any crack possible, like the drain holes at the bottom of window screens, to find a nesting place.
Meanwhile apparently ignoring the aphids on my kale...

....and you are certain they are Ladybugs and not Boxelder Bugs?

Boxelder Bugs. Boxelder bugs are common pests over much of the United States. Adults are about 1/2 inch long. They are bright red or black with narrow reddish lines on the back.
 

JMM

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Your "ladybugs" might actually be Asian lady beetles (see first link on how to differentiate them). Unlike traditional lady bugs, lady beetles invade homes and they do bite. Here in the NE US they often hatch in the house in the winter. I would definitely try to reduce their numbers as they may well be irritating to your tort in large numbers. For more info, see links below.

https://plunketts.net/blog/ladybugs-vs-asian-lady-beetles/

https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef416
 

Loohan

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....and you are certain they are Ladybugs and not Boxelder Bugs?

Boxelder Bugs. Boxelder bugs are common pests over much of the United States. Adults are about 1/2 inch long. They are bright red or black with narrow reddish lines on the back.

I am quite familiar with these too. They are harmless i thought. They do not at all resemble lady bugs.
 

Beasty_Artemis

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You know, I must just be really good at noticing variations in tiny insects. But it was as always easy for me to spot those Asian Lady Beetles. But any poor insect that didn't escape from my siblings and i would soon be our next pet / plaything.
 

Gijoux

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I have been bitten by a lady bug before, and was pretty amazed as I thought they were benign. I really doubt they will harm your baby, but I understand your concern. Lots of people use diatomaceous earth to get rid of bugs and it doesn't harm the tortoise. You might try that. Buy food grade.
Can the diatomaceous earth be sprinkled on the substrate of an indoor enclosure for Leopard hatchlings too? I have found some tiny little bugs in my enclosure, which I guess came in on weeds and flowers from the yard or perhaps from the plant I placed in my enclosure.
 

Sleppo

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Wow I never knew they could bite! Every year I buy bags of them to put in my garden to keep the aphids in check.
 

William Lee Kohler

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Can the diatomaceous earth be sprinkled on the substrate of an indoor enclosure for Leopard hatchlings too? I have found some tiny little bugs in my enclosure, which I guess came in on weeds and flowers from the yard or perhaps from the plant I placed in my enclosure.

I believe it could be harmful to tortoises and especially baby ones if it gets in their lungs. It suffocates the bugs but has a small crystalline structure damaging inside lungs. Think of it as WHITE lung disease instead of BLACK lung disease from coal dust. The little bugs in the enclosure unless mites are likely just living on tortoises waste and left over food bits and are harmless.
 

Beasty_Artemis

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I have never been able to find a cure-all for dust mites ssd's o far. Every time I think I've replaced all of my old bedding as and sterilized my enclosure, they always reappear again!
 

Yvonne G

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This is very helpful. Thanks!
Your "ladybugs" might actually be Asian lady beetles (see first link on how to differentiate them). Unlike traditional lady bugs, lady beetles invade homes and they do bite. Here in the NE US they often hatch in the house in the winter. I would definitely try to reduce their numbers as they may well be irritating to your tort in large numbers. For more info, see links below.

https://plunketts.net/blog/ladybugs-vs-asian-lady-beetles/

https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef416
 

Yvonne G

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Can the diatomaceous earth be sprinkled on the substrate of an indoor enclosure for Leopard hatchlings too? I have found some tiny little bugs in my enclosure, which I guess came in on weeds and flowers from the yard or perhaps from the plant I placed in my enclosure.
Yeah, but it stops working when it gets wet.
 
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We get them here also, any light or sun on white wall and they just all group up, box elders also but they are noticeably different as I get those (also attracted to white/light)
They aren't real lady bugs; I always called them japanese beetles; I have 1500 ladybugs I purchased in basement (remove aphids as I grow dandelions and other food for my tortoise during Winter) never was bitten by a ladybug but the fake ones have hit me on a few times. they wreck vacuums with the smell they "spit" so don't do that.
 

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