Driving through rural Minnesota this week, the dust clouds rising above the fields were a sure sign: soybean harvest season is in full swing. While that’s welcome news for farmers, it also signals the return of a less-celebrated fall tradition—multicolored Asian lady beetles swarming homes and buildings across the state.

The scientific name for these beetles, often mistaken for native ladybugs, is Harmonia axyridis . Originally introduced to the U.S. from Asia in the 20th century to help control crop pests like aphids, they’ve since become a seasonal nuisance in many parts of the Midwest.

Multicolored Asian lady beetles are especially drawn to soybean fields, where they feast on aphids throughout the growing season. But once the crops are harvested and temperatures begin to drop, the

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