UNINVITED VISITORS IN YOUR HOME

THIS RECENT RUN OF ABOVE AVERAGE TEMPERATURES HAS SEEN QUITE A BIT OF INSECT ACTIVITY AROUND HOMES. THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF “CRITTERS” IN THE BLACKLIGHT TRAP THAT I CONTINUE TO RUN IN MY BACKYARD, AS WELL AS OTHER “NIGHT FLIERS” THAT CONGREGATE AROUND THE GARAGE, PORCH AND DECK LIGHTS. AND, WHILE PAINTING SOME HOUSE TRIM, SMALL “JUMPY” INSECTS WERE ATTRACTED TO (AND GETTING STUCK IN) THE WET PAINT: HACKBERRY NIPPLEGALL PSYLLIDS. THE FOLLOWING RETURN OF THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN IS PREVIOUS KANSAS INSECT NEWSLETTER COPY WHICH ADDRESSES A VARIETY OF ARTHROPODS COMMONLY ENCOUNTERED WITH THE COOLER TEMPERATURES OF FALL.

IN STAYING WITH MOVIE TRIVIA (AS SO OFTEN HAPPENS WITH MY ARTICLES): THIS 1966 REMAKE OF THE ORIGINAL 1960 MOVIE, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, IS SOMEWHAT MISLEADING ONLY THE CHARACTERS CHRIS, VIN AND CHICO ACTUALLY RETURN (THE OTHER 4 WERE KILLED OFF). BUT NEVER FEAR, 4 NEW CHARACTERS WERE INSERTED TO BRING THE “GOOD GUY GANG” BACK TO 7 (ALTHOUGH NOT QUITE AS MAGNIFICENT–PERSONNEL OPINION). [AND YUL BRENNER (CHRIS), THE GUY WHO MADE “BALD IS BEAUTIFUL” A CATCH PHRASE, WAS THE ONLY “REPEAT” MOVIE ACTOR].

THE SEVEN MAGNIFICENT CREATURES THAT SEEM TO RETURN TO OUR HOMES EVERY FALL ARE HACKBERRY NIPPLEGALL PSYLLIDS, CRICKETS, SPIDERS, MULTICOLORED ASIAN LADY BEETLES, BOXELDER BUGS, SQUASH BUGS AND ELM LEAF BEETLES. MOST OF THESE OVERWINTER AS ADULTS. AND ALL ARE TRYING TO GET IN OUT-OF-THE-COLD.

#1 HACKBERRY NIPPLEGALL PSYLLIDS ARE VERY SMALL INSECTS WHICH (DURING FALL) EMERGE FROM THE GALLS WITHIN WHICH THEY DEVELOPED THROUGH THE SUMMER MONTHS. THEY OVERWINTER AS ADULTS WHICH SEEK OUT SECLUDED AREAS TO ESCAPE THE HARSH WINTER ELEMENTS. IN NATURAL SETTINGS, THIS MEANS ANY AVAILABLE CRACK, CREVICE, NOOK AND CRANNY, AND IN AND UNDER DEBRIS/TRASH. IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS, HOMES OFFER ALTERNATIVE OVERWINTERING SITES. BECAUSE OF THEIR SMALL SIZE, THE PSYLLIDSARE ABLE TO SLIP THROUGH OPENINGS AS SMALL AS WINDOW SCREENS, AND THUS GAIN ENTRANCE INTO HOMES. THEY BECOME A NUISANCE BECAUSE OF THEIR PRESENCE.

#2 WHILE CRICKETS OVERWINTER AS EGGS DEPOSITED IN THE SOIL, ADULTS SEEK OUT AREAS-OF-WARMTH. MOVING TOWARDS SOURCES OF HEAT (RADIATED HEAT FROM HOUSE/BUILDING FOUNDATIONS), CRICKETS SLIP THROUGH ANY AVAILABLE OPENING TO GAIN ACCESS TO INDOOR AREAS. AGAIN, THEIR MERE PRESENCE CAN BE ANNOYING. IN ADDITION, WHILE THE CHIRPING OF MALE INSECTS MAY BE CONSIDERED BEAUTIFUL MUSIC-OF-THE-NIGHT IN OUTDOOR SETTINGS, INDOORS IT MAY BE REGARDED AS NOISY RACKET. ALTHOUGH NOT BONA FIDE FABRIC PESTS, BEING THEY ARE INSECTS WITH CHEWING MOUTHPARTS PESTS, CRICKETS MAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING HOLESIN FABRICS AS WELL AS LEAVING STAINS ON LIGHT COLORED FABRICS (CURTAINS/SHEERS THE OFT-CITED AREAS SHOWING DAMAGE).

#3 IN THE EYES OF MANY PEOPLE, SPIDERS ARE VISUALIZED AS “CREEPY” AND “DANGEROUS”.WHILE ALL SPIDERS PRODUCE VENOM WHICH IS USED TO“STILL” THEIR PREY, BEAR IN MIND THAT: SPIDERS ARE NON-AGGRESSIVE; MOST SPIDERS ARE SMALL AND THEIR TINY FANGS TOO WEAK TO PENETRATE OUR TOUGHENED SKIN; AND THEIR VENOMS ARE VERY MILD TO HUMANS. SPIDERS LIVING OUTDOORS MAY SEEK THE WARMTH OUR HOMES. PERHAPS WOLF SPIDERS ARE THE MOST COMMONLY RECOGNIZED SPECIES DUE TO THEIR SIZE (SOME SPECIES WITH A 4-INCH LEG SPAN) AND HAIRY APPEARANCE. THEIR OVERALL COLOR MAY VARY FROM BROWN TO GREY. THEY MAY BE FLECKED WITH DIFFERENT BODY PATTERNS. WOLF SPIDERS ARE HUNTING SPIDERS THAT ARE ALWAYS ON THE PROWL. BUT THEY ARETIMID CREATURES AND DO NOT SEEK OUT AND ATTACK PEOPLE.

#4 MULTICOLORED ASIAN LADY BEETLES (MALB) ARE A RELATIVELY RECENT ADDITION TO THE LIST OF NUISANCE PESTS. WHILE IN NATURE, MOST COCCINELLID (LADY BEETLE) SPECIES ARE BENEFICIAL PREDATORS (AS IS THE MALB), THE MALBS HAVE BECOME A NUISANCE PEST DUE TO THEIR HABIT OF CONGREGATING (ESPECIALLY) ON THE SOUTH SIDE EXTERIORS OF HOMES AND BUILDINGS. THEY THEN MAY GAIN ENTRANCE VIA ANY AVAILABLE CRACK/ OR CREVICE SUCH AS CREVICE/ILL-FITTING DOOR OR WINDOW OPENING TO GAIN INDOOR ENTRANCE. THEIR CRIME? AGAIN,THEIR PRESENCE. ALSO, WHEN DISTURBED (IF PICKED UP OR BRUSHED UP), THEY LEAVE BEHIND AN ORANGISH FLUID WHICH CAN CAUSE A STAIN. THERE ALSO IS AN ODOR (OBJECTIONABLE TO SOME) ACCOMPANYING THE BEETLES. AND SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT MALBS BITE (TO WHICH I RESPOND, “SHOW ME THE BLOOD!”) HOWEVER, I DO AGREE THAT THEY MAY “PINCH” WITH THEIR MOUTHPARTS.

#5 BOXELDER BUGS (BEB), ALSO KNOWN AS “DEMOCRAT BUGS”, ARE REGARDED AS NUISANCE PESTS, AGAIN, BASED ON THEIR PRESENCE WHETHER (IN NUMBER) ONE, SEVERAL OR MANY. ALTHOUGH THEIR PREFERRED HOST IS THEIR NAMESAKE TREE (BOXELDER), ASH AND MAPLE SERVE AS ALTERNATIVE TREE SPECIES UPON WHICH BEBS THRIVE. ESPECIALLY IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR, THESE INSECTS WILL GRAVITATE TOWARDS AREAS OF WARMTH (SOUTH SIDES OF HOMES AND BUILDINGS). SOME GAIN ACCESS INTO INDOOR AREAS WHILE OTHERS SEEK SHELTER BENEATH DEBRIS/RUBBLE AROUND HOME/BUILDING FOUNDATIONS. THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS DURING BRIEF WARM SPELLS, BEBS WILL BE “AWAKENED OUT OF THEIR SLUMBERS”, AND ACTIVELY CRAWL UP THE SIDES OF HOUSES AND BUILDINGS TO BASK IN THE SUN.

#6 DITTO FOR SQUASH BUGS EXCEPT TO CHANGE THEIR PREFERRED HOST PLANTS TO SQUASH AND PUMPKINS. ONE GREAT DIFFERENCE, HOWEVER, IS THAT WHEREAS BEBS CAUSE NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THEIR TREE HOSTS, SQUASH BUGS ARE ALL TOO WELL KNOWN FOR THEIR DELETERIOUS EFFECTS ON SQUASH AND PUMPKIN VINES/PLANTS. BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS NEWSLETTER, THEY ARE REGARDED AS INDOOR NUISANCE PESTS.

#7 THE FEEDING ACTIVITIES OF ELM LEAF BEETLES (ELB) AND THEIR LARVAE RESULT IN ELM TREES TAKING ON A “BURNT APPEARANCE” IN LATE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL. SECOND GENERATION BEETLES SEEK DRY PROTECTED SITES TO ESCAPE THE RIGORS OF WINTER. AGAIN, “INDOOR SANCTUARIES” FAVOR THEIR SURVIVAL THROUGH THE WINTER MONTHS.

SO WE HAVE NAMED “THE SEVEN”. WHAT DOES ONE DO TO PREVENT THEM FROM ENTERING HOMES/BUSINESSES? DENY THEM ENTRYWAYS!  THIS IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE. THERE IS NO “PERFECT STRUCTURE”. EVEN NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOMES AND BUILDINGS HAVE GAPS AND HOLES THROUGH WHICH INSECTS CAN EASILY MOVE. A PERSON NEEDS TO INSPECT THEIR PROPERTY, IDENTIFY PORTALS OF ENTRY AND SEAL THEM OFF (BE GENEROUS WITH CAULK). CHECK EXCLUSIONARY SCREENING (AND REPAIR OR REPLACE AS NEEDED) OVER/BEHIND GABLE VENTS, ROOF VENTS, BREEZE WAYS. REPLACE SEALS AROUND WINDOWS, DOORWAYS AND GARAGE DOORS. REMOVE DEBRIS AND TRASH AROUND FOUNDATIONS TO DENY PROTECTED SITES PROVIDING HARBORAGE(S). CONSIDER A 6-12 FOOT “BARRIER” INSECTICIDE SPRAY TREATMENT AROUND HOMES/BUILDINGS, AND (POSSIBLY) EXTENDING UP THE SIDE OF THE STRUCTURES. DESPITE ONE’S BEST EFFORTS, INSECT/ARTHROPOD “VISITORS” MAY STILL BE ENCOUNTERED INDOORS. SIMPLY REMOVE AND DISPOSE OF THEM

BY HAND, VACUUM OR ANY OTHER METHOD OF CHOICE.

BEAR IN MIND THAT ALL OF THESE ARE OUTDOOR SPECIES WHICH ARE MERELY SEEKING REFUGE/SURVIVAL DURING THE WINTER MONTHS.

BY; BOB BAUERNFEIND

KANSAS INSECT NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 17, 2014 NO 25

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