Gnats, flies, mosquitos, bees…we’re used to seeing and hearing them frequently in spring, summer, and sometimes fall. But they’re obviously not around when the weather starts to turn cold. So where do they go? What do they do? What do they eat? You’d think it’s so cold that they’d all die, yet every year they come back like clockwork.
Few things help brighten up your home and put your family into the holiday spirit more than fresh plants. Whether it’s a lively poinsettia, a robust fir tree, or some holly wreathes, this time of year is full of plants and flowers that bring cheer and warmth to an otherwise cold season. Unfortunately, with these festive decorations also comes holiday bugs!
Of all the creepy crawlies that could invade your home, german cockroaches are among the worst. They get into everything—food, furniture, the walls—and they can be really difficult to fully get rid of. German cockroaches can lay as many as 40 eggs in one egg case! They breed incredibly fast, and if gone unchecked, can turn into a major infestation almost overnight. Not only are they gross to look at, but they also can carry bacteria that causes food poisoning, dysentery, and diarrhea.
While it’s great to have ladybugs in your garden (they love to eat garden pests, particularly aphids), having them in your home is another story. Granted, ladybugs are relatively harmless and can’t hurt you, but uncovering an infestation in your house can still be a bothersome. The worst that can happen is that they stain your walls with a yellowish secretion.
What’s brown, stinky, and wants to come into your home? It’s the aptly named brown marmorated stink bug, of course! Typically living outdoors when it’s warmer, as soon as September rolls around the stink bugs love to come inside to find comfort in your home. Unfortunately, that can make things a little uncomfortable for us humans.
As we’ve discussed recently, honey bees can actually be very helpful. For example, about 1/3 of all food consumed in the U.S. can be attributed to pollination from the honey bee, according to the USDA. That’s about $15 billion in crops each year!