Ladybugs/ladybird beetles for food?

Many fish WON'T touch them due to distastefulness of lady beetles. I know hatchery trout will eat them but then again hatchery trout are incredibly stupid that they will eat anything from rocks to rubber worms to cigarette butts.

Hello; Three observations from a large infestation some years in Kentucky: 1) had a number of them in a house and noted that touching them left an unpleasant smell. 2) One fell into a cup of coffee unnoticed and one sip had a bad taste. 3) Found a few in tanks from time to time and noted that the fish did not try to eat them.

My best guess is that they will be rejected as food. In addition, if a large fish happened to take one there may be a toxin not so good for fish. Insects with brite coloration can have a chemical defense that ranges from unpleasant to toxic. I never tried to feed them to any fish as I did not know for sure. If your outbreak is a big one there may be a few in the tanks by accident.

I was more hardnosed about the infestation. I used a shop vac to collect those that made it into the house and there were a lot of them. One way to look at it is that the ones in your house have done their job of eating pests from the previous warm season. Those pests are not an issue until next season. All that the lady bugs need is for enough to make it thru the winter to have a sufficient reproducing population next spring. My guess is that there will be more than enough lady bugs around next spring even if you kill the ones in your home.

They're good luck! Also, if they have been subject to any pesticides or anything...those poisons could be transferred to your tank.


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I had an infestation years ago. I tried feeding them to my Montium chameleons and they all ate just one and never ate another. I noticed the sour smell described too. I suspect they must taste awful

I live north of pittsburgh...they are bad here every year. I have 2 open top tanks, a 40B with my native sunfish and darters and one lonely stickleback, and my bullhead tank. They fell in those tanks by the dozens...and if my bullhead didn't want anything to do with them, chances are no other fish in the US will touch them haha.

I live in western pa as well (pittsburgh suburb) and I haven't seen a lady buy since the spring. Wonder why if everyone else is getting them bad since my house isn't the tightest one and I couldn't stop stinkbugs last year.