Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, December 2, 1993                   TAG: 9312020047
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-8   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: Joe Hunnings
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

COLD ALONE WON'T RID HOME OF CRAWLING AND FLYING PESTS

By this time of year, especially after there have been a few frosts, only a few insects still make nuisances of themselves. Let's take a look at a few who are still hanging around:

\ BOXELDER BUGS: Large numbers of these black-and-red insects often are found around HOEIN' & GROWIN' JOE HUNNINGS houses and other buildings in the fall and spring. They overwinter as adults in protected places, such as under porches, in cavities in brick or stone walls, in leaf litter around shrubs, and under boards and tarps around houses. The adults and immature states feed on the leaves and other parts of boxelder trees.

They do not present a problem for the trees when they are feeding, and they do not bite humans. The biggest problem occurs when the adults collect indoors in the fall and winter. Be sure your house is tight around windows and doors. Caulking produces a good barrier. Insecticide sprays are effective, but generally not necessary.

\ ELM LEAF BEETLES: If they haven't begun already, these yellow-and-black beetles soon will start coming indoors looking for shelter from the winter cold. There's not much you can do to keep them out, either. Somehow, they always seem to find a passage into the house. An aerosol will dispatch them easily once they are indoors. They don't bite.

\ JAPANESE LADY BEETLES: This is the new guy - or, in this case, maybe girl is the better term - on the block. Introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1977 into Georgia for pecan aphid control, they have moved northward. They are yellow with black spots. They are typically found on the south side of buildings or in protected places like woodpiles or fence rows.

Most cannot survive a hot, dry indoor environment for more than several weeks. Populations will likely be abundant for a few years until a couple of their parasites become established.

\ SPIDERS: These are the last summer holdouts. Spiders seem to increase in numbers in the fall, perhaps because their webs become more easily seenm and the big garden spiders often stake out a territory close to or on the house.

Wolf spiders also become more numerous at this time of year, and often are an indoor pest. Some wolf spiders can get very large and look a bit threatening, but they are not a threat to humans - just to the insects they prefer as food.

Garden spiders and other spider species often build webs close to outdoor lights and windows to trap the insects attracted to the lights. Change the lights if you want to discourage the spiders; otherwise, just enjoy these hard-working critters. They overwinter in secluded locations.

\ BODY AND HEAD LICE: Soon after school starts, so do the calls about head lice on small children. Actually, this is not a big deal. These critters are not that uncommon in the world, especially in elementary schools.

A few things to remember about head lice: They are easily transferred from child to child by the sharing of hats and jackets, because stray hairs with head lice eggs can be transferred from the fabric. An all-out pest-control program (spraying the classroom) is not necessary, or even very useful for that matter. That's because the lice do not leave the host.

Head-lice control can be accomplished by getting kids to not share hats and coats, and by quick action when head lice are discovered.

Over-the-counter remedies for head lice work, but you must follow the directions carefully. It may take several weeks and as many hair-wash treatments to have an impact. Parents of youngsters with head lice need to be understanding and patient.

The main thing is: Do not overreact and make the child feel bad about the situation. Head lice happen. They're no big deal.

\ INDIAN MEAL MOTH: Always a common household pest, this moth often is encountered in the fall when we dig out the rest of that bag of bird seed that didn't get put out last winter and find some caterpillars, some webbing over the seed, and maybe a few brown-and-tan moths flying about the bag.

It might be best to put this seed out for the birds immediately, then vacuum the area thoroughly. The moths do not fly to lights, so it may be necessary to watch for them around the house. These insects can find a variety of material to attack in a household kitchen.

Joe Hunnings is the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service agent for agriculture in Christiansburg. If you have questions, call the Montgomery County extension office at 382-5790.