Happy Holidays!

I want to wish all of my followers and fellow bloggers Happy Holidays, and my sincerest best wishes to you for a bright new year.

I spent yesterday doing a Christmas bird count in the vicinity of La Veta, Colorado (Spanish Peaks area), where we were rewarded with spottings of wild turkey (the bird, silly, not the whiskey), and a Golden Eagle among several other species. Interestingly, I learned that Eastern Boxelder Bugs (Boisea trivittata) are called "adobe bugs" there. Never heard of that before. That insect was quite plentiful, though, basking on the south side of houses despite the lingering snow at over 7,000 feet elevation.

I continue to enjoy making new discoveries like that, and then sharing them with all of you. Remember there will be more diversity in posts next year. Remember, too, that you are always welcome to share your own questions, images, and observations with me. My personal universe is rather small, but together we can broaden our collective horizons. Thank you.

BugEric24ATyahooDOTcom.

Boxelder Bugs Revisited

It is that time of year again! No, not Halloween. No, not elections (and which of those two is more scary, anyway?). It is Boxelder Bug season. I imaged this one a couple of weeks ago at the Rea Farm in Cape May, New Jersey:

Rather than repeat myself, I’ll kindly refer you to the blog I did last year as part of my ”Indoor Insects of Autumn” series. The other three parts covered the Western Conifer Seed Bug, Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, and Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle. See if you can’t find some of these in your own neck of the woods this week.

Indoor Insects of Autumn (part 2 of 4)

This is the second in a four-part series of entries addressing insects frequently seen indoors at this time of year when they seek shelter for hibernation during the colder months. This entry will introduce boxelder bugs in the genus Boisea.

At this time of year, people often encounter boxelder bugs in great numbers on trees, shrubs, or all too frequently on the exterior of their home. These insects go through simple or “incomplete” metamorphosis, and the nymphs are becoming adults just before cold temperatures set in. The winged adults are thus able to disperse to, and congregate in, sheltered niches insulated from the brutal winter weather.

There are two species of boxelder bugs in North America. East of the Rocky Mountains one finds the eastern boxelder bug, Boisea trivittata. West of the Continental Divide ranges the western boxelder bug, Boisea rubrolineata. Both species were formerly placed in the genus Leptocoris, and many older references used that name. They belong to the family Rhopalidae, collectively known as “scentless plant bugs,” owing to the usual lack of defensive scent glands like those possessed by other true bugs such as leaf-footed bugs (Coreidae) and stink bugs (Pentatomidae).

The bold red and gray color pattern of boxelder bugs suggests that they must have some form of defense against predators that they are advertising through those bright aposematic colors. Indeed, the eastern boxelder bug is known to produce compounds known as monoterpene hydrocarbons that have been shown to deter predation by green anole lizards (source at PubMed).

Boxelder bugs mostly constitute a cosmetic nuisance to homeowners, and they can be easily excluded from the interior of a residence. Make sure that the weatherstripping on doors reaches the floor, and mend any holes in the window screens. Do be careful of bringing the bugs in accidentally, as the stack of firewood out back makes a convenient cozy shelter for the hibernating masses, too.

Come next spring the boxelder bugs will disperse again to their favorite host plants. Despite their large numbers, they cause remarkably little damage as they feed on the seeds of boxelder, maple, and other trees. So, marvel at this spectacle of abundance and be tolerant. Maybe your neighbors will learn from your example as well.