This is one of a very large family of beetles known as Coccinellidae. Many people call these beetles ‘ladybugs’.
Lady beetles are easy to recognize. They are small, round-to-oval insects. Their size ranges from one thirty-second to three eights of an inch. They are usually red or orange, but can be yellow, brown, or black. Some species have spots.
In the fall lady beetles gather in large numbers on the outside of light-colored houses. As they gather on the house, some find cracks or holes. They use these holes to get inside. Some lady beetles enter quiet places like the attic. They hibernate through the winter and become active again in spring. Other lady beetles get into the living space of the home.
Insecticide application on the outside of the home will act as a barrier. It will repel many of the pests that gather on the home and keep them from entering. The application should begin in the late summer. Because of temperature and other factors, the barrier will need to be re-applied periodically. The pest control professional has the equipment to make this treatment.