A Different Kind of Pest: Lightning Bugs

[enzo1028]

This might not be the best place to search for help on this, but I have been seeing an increasing number of lightning bugs getting into my basement lately. The first thing they go for are the lights on my tank. When I got home from being out of town during the holiday weekend, there was 3 floating around the surface of my display and about 10 in the sump. Luckily I removed them before any sort of crash happened and I have kept an eye on it since.

But does anyone has any experience with keeping bugs away from their reef tank? Any tips or tricks to deter bugs? I have tried tracking down where these lightning bugs are coming from and the only thing I can think of would be our AC, does anyone have similar experiences with pests like this for a new home owner?

 

[skyon888]

I had a very similar issue with those asian beetles (they look very similar to ladybugs) about this time last year. I blame them for an algae outbreak that occurred at the same time/shortly after that, which lasted throughout the summer until I could finally get it under control.

After doing some research on them I purchased some D-fense sc from amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YRQAKY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and applied it per the instructions to the perimeter of the house and windows/doors in the fall of last year. This spring I haven't had any issues with them at all.

 

[enzo1028]

I had a very similar issue with those asian beetles (they look very similar to ladybugs) about this time last year. I blame them for an algae outbreak that occurred at the same time/shortly after that, which lasted throughout the summer until I could finally get it under control.

After doing some research on them I purchased some D-fense sc from amazon (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YRQAKY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and applied it per the instructions to the perimeter of the house and windows/doors in the fall of last year. This spring I haven't had any issues with them at all.

Thanks for the info, I'll have to check that out! I definitely noticed an algae bloom on my glass that grew over the weekend. Usually it doesn't grow that fast


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[goatous]

I had a similar situation with home invasion of Boxelder bugs which decided on a mass suicide in my tank, while I was on vacation for a week. There were so many they were able to obstruct the overflow and overflow the tank.

Calk and fill any cracks holes on the exterior of house and then spray the ground and adjacent lower wall with a pesticide which is effective against the bug. Another strategy is using grub killers and get them in their larval grub stage growing in your lawn.