Large, brown bug infestation terrifying college students!
October 25, 2009
Hello! We’ve been finding these large, dark brown bugs (roughing a few inches in length) all over our apartment, especially on windows and in lamps. They can crawl rather quickly, but do not fly. We’d love to get rid of them, but have no idea what they are or how to go about eliminating them! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
College Students from Massachusetts
Windows, walls and lamps
Dear Terrified College Students,
The Western Conifer Seed Bugs that have been invading are perfectly harmless. They are merely seeking shelter from the upcoming cold weather. The Western Conifer Seed Bug is native to the Pacific Northwest, not Massachusetts. Beginning the in 1970s, it greatly expanded its range across North America in the northern latitudes.
I found one of these on a window in my apartment in San Francisco just a couple days ago. I captured it and it’s now residing in a former salad container with some dirt, chard and a grape. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ertiepie/4048048861/ One thing: I did notice when I transferred it from the small container to its new biodome, it did try to fly a little bit. Maybe it was more of a wing-enhanced hop, but it definitely caught air.