09/26/04, 07:18 PM
|
|
|
|
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,274
|
|
|
My guess is Box Elder bugs. They are quite a nuisance. They infest box elder trees and silver maples, and here in CO they seem to like scrub oak. They can have multiple generations through the summer and in the fall the adults look for a spot to hibernate. I believe they can see heat. They usually show up now on the sunny south side of a structure and get into litter at the base. If the house has siding they can get inside the walls. If the windows are not tight or calked poorly, they get in that way. Once they are inside, they will emerge all winter. If you squash them they stink and stain. Here in CO they will move around outside on sunny winter days and new bugs come to the house. Most pesticides don't work because of they don't last through the winter. A strong pyrethroid applied now may cause them to leave before they enter the structure. The most effective strategy is to spend the time and effort to completely seal all entry points on the sunny side. This will save you heating money, so you get a bonus. Also, clear the litter from the base of the house. My text says to cut down the tree!! This usually isn't possible because someone else owns it. You can have the tree sprayed, but the timing is in the spring and summer, not now.
|
