THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 26, 1995 TAG: 9511230115
SECTION: HOME PAGE: G4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ROBERT STIFFLER
LENGTH: Medium: 56 lines
AS THE DAYS get shorter and temperatures drop, the hordes of insects you saw all summer seem to disappear. But they may be reappearing inside your home.
Some insects die as the weather changes. But all species have evolved a method for surviving weather changes. A few, like the monarch butterfly, migrate to warmer climates. Many bugs spend winter as eggs or in immature stages, then complete development when weather warms up. Others find sheltered places and hibernate.
``The search for warm, protected areas often leads into your house,'' observed Virginia Tech entomologist Peter Schultz. He said insects usually try to enter on the southwest side of a dwelling, where there is the most warmth.
``Boxelder bugs, cluster flies, clover mites, strawberry root weevils and lady beetle Harmonia are among the insects that often take shelter in wall voids, attics and other out-of-the-way spaces around a house,'' Schultz said.
Cluster flies look like large, plump house flies. They hibernate in clusters of hundreds. An invasion may require using a household insecticide spray, followed by the vacuum cleaner.
``None of these insects are harmful,'' Schultz said. ``But they are annoying, especially if they move indoors in large numbers. Seal cracks and crevices and make sure windows, doors and screens fit tightly. You can use mechanical means to control them - such as fly swatters and vacuum cleaners.''
If you use a vacuum, make sure you empty or get rid of the vacuum cleaner bag immediately, Schultz warned. Insects that are knocked down but not killed and then vacuumed up may revive and find their way out of the sweeper into your living quarters.
Rather than go after these pests after they enter your home, you can keep them out with an exterior treatment of an insecticide such as Dursban around your home's perimeter. Such a protective barrier gives homeowners control over damaging and irritating pests such as ants, pillbugs, cockroaches, centipedes and spiders.
This treatment is most effective when applied in spring or fall, when many insects seek shelter. If you use a perimeter barrier, read and follow label directions carefully.
Boxelder bugs may require more drastic measures. Most authorities say the best control is to eliminate female boxelder trees near your home. Adult boxelder bugs can fly some distance and are often found in association with silver maples.
Removing boxelder trees may not put an end to the bugs, but it's a start. Boxelder and silver maple trees are notoriously soft-wooded and prone to storm damage. If such trees pose a danger to people or buildings, it is wise to replace them with problem-free trees. by CNB