In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area we have been getting a plague of Asian lady
bugs each Fall and this year it is especially bad. They cluster on the
south and west sides of our house and use every opportunity to sneak into
the house.

Here's the ID question: for the first time I have noticed that these Asian
lady bugs are not the only bugs in the swarm on the house. They appear to
be accompanied by some bigger, flat bodied black bugs with a red "V" marking
on their body. These also fly and do not seem to be at all related (as in
some other life stage) to the Asian lady bugs. What are these guys, are
they a problem other than a nuisance like the ladybugs and what are they
doing hanging out with them?

(I already googled black bugs with red markings and came up empty handed).

mm

In article -
berlin.de, says...
In the Minneapolis-St. Paul area we have been getting a plague of Asian lady
bugs each Fall and this year it is especially bad. They cluster on the
south and west sides of our house and use every opportunity to sneak into
the house.

Here's the ID question: for the first time I have noticed that these Asian
lady bugs are not the only bugs in the swarm on the house. They appear to
be accompanied by some bigger, flat bodied black bugs with a red "V" marking
on their body. These also fly and do not seem to be at all related (as in
some other life stage) to the Asian lady bugs. What are these guys, are
they a problem other than a nuisance like the ladybugs and what are they
doing hanging out with them?

(I already googled black bugs with red markings and came up empty handed).

Probably Box Elder Bugs, slighter chance of red
shouldered bugs, wouldn't think it would be milkweed
bugs. They will be a nuisance, what is attracting them,
the same as the LBs is the way the South/West side of
the house stays warmer this time of year where they will
look for a place to Winter over. There will be other
insects such as other types of beetles and wasps that
will be attracted to your home for the same reasons.

--

http://home.comcast.net/~larflu/brodf1.jpg

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

They appear to
be accompanied by some bigger, flat bodied black bugs with a red "V" marking
on their body. These also fly and do not seem to be at all related (as in
some other life stage) to the Asian lady bugs. What are these guys, are
they a problem other than a nuisance like the ladybugs and what are they
doing hanging out with them?

Sounds like boxelder bugs. They aren't "hanging out" with the ladybugs but are
also looking for a place to overwinter. Do you have a boxelder tree in the
area? That is what brings them to you in the first place. Take a look at the
pictures on this webpage and see if they are the same:
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopE...s/boxelder.htm
sed5555

Yup, that is them. Thanks for the quick ID.


mm
"Sed5555" wrote in message
...
They appear to
be accompanied by some bigger, flat bodied black bugs with a red "V"
marking
on their body. These also fly and do not seem to be at all related (as
in
some other life stage) to the Asian lady bugs. What are these guys, are
they a problem other than a nuisance like the ladybugs and what are they
doing hanging out with them?

Sounds like boxelder bugs. They aren't "hanging out" with the ladybugs but
are
also looking for a place to overwinter. Do you have a boxelder tree in the
area? That is what brings them to you in the first place. Take a look at
the
pictures on this webpage and see if they are the same:
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopE...s/boxelder.htm
sed5555