Quit bugging me you miserable unknown insect.
July 7, 2014 2:40 PM Subscribe
First a plague of moths, now some kind of flying ...beetle?
What is this miserable bug?
It's too hot to sleep, and these things keep pestering me when I try to read. Now they're all over the inside of the patio door.
Help me ID these things. Bonus points for telling me where they come from and how to reek havoc on their miserable buggy bodies.
It's too hot to sleep, and these things keep pestering me when I try to read. Now they're all over the inside of the patio door.
Help me ID these things. Bonus points for telling me where they come from and how to reek havoc on their miserable buggy bodies.
I think it's a squash bug. A member of genus anasa. The striping along the wing edges is characteristic of squash bugs.
Do you have any squash or melon vines? If so, and these are swarming into your patio door, I'm afraid it's bad news for your garden.
posted by Snerd at 5:14 PM on July 7, 2014
Do you have any squash or melon vines? If so, and these are swarming into your patio door, I'm afraid it's bad news for your garden.
posted by Snerd at 5:14 PM on July 7, 2014
It's a boxelder bug. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxelder_bug
posted by wrabbit at 5:23 PM on July 7, 2014
posted by wrabbit at 5:23 PM on July 7, 2014
Best answer: Actually, it looks more like this mystery bug. http://www.ktvb.com/news/A-new-bug-is-moving-into-Treasure-Valley-homes-162288386.html
posted by wrabbit at 5:30 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by wrabbit at 5:30 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Boxelder bug was my guess at first. They certainly can stage a plague. But the pattern on the wings doesn't seem right for a boxelder bug, which has ride stripes.
Here's a follow-up report to wrabbit's mystery bug story, identifying the 2012 Idaho plague as Elm Seed bugs.
posted by Snerd at 5:35 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
Here's a follow-up report to wrabbit's mystery bug story, identifying the 2012 Idaho plague as Elm Seed bugs.
posted by Snerd at 5:35 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
Stink Bug. Exterminators have a weapon that will clear them out.
posted by KneeDeep at 7:13 PM on July 7, 2014
posted by KneeDeep at 7:13 PM on July 7, 2014
Yeah, it looks like a box elder bug (a little dark, but that may just be the light and they can vary in color). I just flicked one off my neck for the 8 millionth time in the last minute it seems. I those little fuckers so very bad. If they are stupid as hell, and congregate around light and/or water sources, probably box elder bugs. The little ones (which are also everywhere this time of year where I am) are like tiny red dots.
They proliferate in hot weather. Each individual bug is extremely easy to kill, but they are extremely hard to get rid of as a group. Pest control on the trees and outside of your house will help, but they are never really absent from my house (and extended neighborhood).
Good news: they don't really bite or anything like that, and they are very stupid. Bad news: they just keep coming and coming and coming, and get in to everything. When I get home in the evening, they are congregated around the upper windows and the bathroom window, and unfortunately when it starts to get dark the light source they are attracted to is usually the tv or computer I am near, or myself. When I go to bed, my own damn body and they dive-bomb me like crazy. My best weapons are (1) a vacuum, both for the dead ones and just go ahead and suck up all the live ones that are around (that is how I effect my get home from work killing spree), and (2) leave a light on somewhere where your bed is not at night, and then in the morning that is where most of them are gathered. Repeat killing spree. But really try to get the trees outside, at your house and any neighbors you can convince, treated.
Good luck, and for your sake I hope it is just a squash or mystery bug.
posted by freejinn at 7:30 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
They proliferate in hot weather. Each individual bug is extremely easy to kill, but they are extremely hard to get rid of as a group. Pest control on the trees and outside of your house will help, but they are never really absent from my house (and extended neighborhood).
Good news: they don't really bite or anything like that, and they are very stupid. Bad news: they just keep coming and coming and coming, and get in to everything. When I get home in the evening, they are congregated around the upper windows and the bathroom window, and unfortunately when it starts to get dark the light source they are attracted to is usually the tv or computer I am near, or myself. When I go to bed, my own damn body and they dive-bomb me like crazy. My best weapons are (1) a vacuum, both for the dead ones and just go ahead and suck up all the live ones that are around (that is how I effect my get home from work killing spree), and (2) leave a light on somewhere where your bed is not at night, and then in the morning that is where most of them are gathered. Repeat killing spree. But really try to get the trees outside, at your house and any neighbors you can convince, treated.
Good luck, and for your sake I hope it is just a squash or mystery bug.
posted by freejinn at 7:30 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]
I can't believe I left out the word hate. That should read that I HATE those little fuckers so very bad, and it bears repeating.
posted by freejinn at 7:36 PM on July 7, 2014
posted by freejinn at 7:36 PM on July 7, 2014
Response by poster: Bingo! Wrabbit and Snerd have it. You guys are great.
Yes, we do have the damn squash bugs in plenty this year, but at least they keep their miserable selves in the garden. No box elders, although I'm familiar with them.
I've seen the Brown Marmorated stink bug, but the one I'm most familiar with is this big black beetle that stands on its head and farts when he's disturbed.
My MIL had complained about them in Boise in 2012/13, but we didn't have them here. Guess they took those years to build up enough to migrate this way.
And freejinn, they behave just like the bloody box elders at night. Gaaarrrrr!
Yes, Cold Lurky that was a poor pun--they do stink when squashed--not horribly, like the black dude above, but bad enough to want to wash off.
posted by BlueHorse at 11:09 PM on July 7, 2014
Yes, we do have the damn squash bugs in plenty this year, but at least they keep their miserable selves in the garden. No box elders, although I'm familiar with them.
I've seen the Brown Marmorated stink bug, but the one I'm most familiar with is this big black beetle that stands on its head and farts when he's disturbed.
My MIL had complained about them in Boise in 2012/13, but we didn't have them here. Guess they took those years to build up enough to migrate this way.
And freejinn, they behave just like the bloody box elders at night. Gaaarrrrr!
Yes, Cold Lurky that was a poor pun--they do stink when squashed--not horribly, like the black dude above, but bad enough to want to wash off.
posted by BlueHorse at 11:09 PM on July 7, 2014
I am in Boise too and these things are invading my office. Thank you for asking the question, now I know what these horrible things are!
posted by cobain_angel at 9:37 AM on July 8, 2014
posted by cobain_angel at 9:37 AM on July 8, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Cold Lurkey at 2:43 PM on July 7, 2014 [1 favorite]