From Iowa State University web site
(http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/iiin/ladybeetles.html):
----

The "multicolored Asian lady beetle" (/Harmonia axyridis/), has become
common throughout the United States and all of Iowa. It is well known
for the annoying habit of accumulating on the sides of buildings and
wandering indoors during the fall. Asian lady beetles are a beneficial
biological control in trees during the summer, and in fields and gardens
during the fall, but can be a severe household nuisance during late fall
and winter. Wooded residential and industrial areas are especially prone
to problems

The origins of the Asian lady beetles are not clear, although it appears
the current pest species was not purposefully released in the United
States or in Iowa. Beetles that arrived by accident in ports such as New
Orleans in the late 1980s have crawled and flown all by themselves to
all corners of the country.
----

I don't remember them prior to about ten years ago, but they now
congregate in my sunny front hall. American lady beetles do not usually
come inside, and never in these numbers.

--John McKitterick

Frank Boyle wrote:

>Yesterday afternoon I had a bunch outside my office window here in NW DC -
>it's that time of year again, as the last generation of this year's ladybugs
>or "ladybirds" are reacting to the cooler temps and looking for a warm place
>- reproduction is slowed or halted by colder winter weather, when adults may
>hibernate.   One of our native species, the nine-spotted ladybug beetle, is
>in decline over many parts of the east, perhaps due to competition from
>non-native species of Coccinellidae that have been introduced from Asia and
>elsewhere.
>
>Oh, and ladybugs are not true bugs, as they do not have sucking mouth parts.
>
>
>
>Just thought y'all would like to know.
>
>
>This concludes today's entomology lesson.
>
>
>**********************
>Frank Boyle
>Laurel & Rohrersville, MD
>
>**********************
>
>
>
>"The most powerful weapon in the hands of the oppressor is the mind of the
>oppressed."
>- Stephen Biko
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
>Behalf Of Elliot Kirschbaum
>Sent: 10/27/2004 4:33 PM
>To: 
>Subject: [MDOSPREY] Ladybugs
>
>I hope this is not too far off topic. They do fly, and are a food source for
>birds.
>
>Has anyone else noticed a large number of ladybugs this afternoon? Right
>now, there are hundreds of them arriving on my eleventh floor balcony at the
>north end of Baltimore.
>
>Elliot Kirschbaum
>Baltimore, MD
>
>
>