Adult ladybugs and larvae can be found living in gardens, agricultural fields, wooded areas and on plants that are frequented by aphids, which are a primary source of food for many species. The beetles hibernate during winter months in clusters normally found under rocks, debris and leaf litter, but may also aggregate in homes if they can get in through cracks or crevices. They may begin to appear indoors in the autumn months when they leave their summer feeding areas in search of an insulated place to hibernate.
Ladybug beetles, or coccinellidae, can be found worldwide, with over 450 species in North America alone. They are generally viewed as useful because many species feed on smaller insects that damage crops. Ladybugs will lay hundreds of eggs within colonies of plant-eating pests. When these eggs hatch, the larvae begin feeding immediately.
