These ladybugs landed on our deck yesterday. Are they looking for a place to hibernate? We have not seen any ladybugs all of this year.
Colorado State University reports that some ladybugs, or lady beetles, do migrate. This behavior is especially common among a specific species known as "convergent lady beetles." These insects travel to the mountains for the winter.
In the mountains, convergent ladybugs often live in large masses. Many other species of ladybugs do not travel far when the season changes or when food supplies are depleted. They bury themselves under decaying plants or burrow under pieces of bark. Many go indoors and lodge inside the walls of houses. In these winter surroundings, the ladybugs do not develop. Their growth pauses for up to six months until seasons change again.