Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Coming in from the cold

When it is cold and rainy, it becomes more difficult to find insects and spiders outside -- but easier to find them inside.  Each day, I discover one or two new "guests" that have arrived in the house.  Although they are all uninvited, I have been letting most of them stay.  Many, such as the spider and ladybug pictured below, are predators that should help to keep the number of other "guests" low.

A spider that was roaming the floor.
A seven-spotted ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata) that has been patrolling my houseplants.
Others are simply too troublesome to handle, such as the several western conifer seed bugs that have gotten inside.  They won't cause any problems as long as they are left alone, but they may release an unpleasant smell if they are disturbed.

A western conifer seed bug (Leptoglossus occidentalis) climbing the blinds.

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