Press

ALBANY, NY - If you're noticing an unusual number of ladybugs, crickets and spiders taking refuge from the cooler weather inside your home, you're not alone.

1998 was a banner year for bugs, according to entomologists with the New York State Museum.

"Because it was a moist spring following a fairly mild winter, plants and insects have done extremely well this year," said Jeffrey K. Barnes, a State Museum entomologist who also studies folklore about insects and weather. "When vegetation is lush, insects are abundant."

Since there is a healthy population, certain things can be expected as fall and winter approach and insects start looking for places to spend the winter. The plummeting temperatures also fuel popular myths involving insects.

Particularly noticeable will be the famous "Halloween Ladybug" or Harmonia axyridis, named for its bright orange color and the time of year it becomes extremely conspicuous.

This 19-spotted creature finds its way inside in droves with tens of thousands sometimes congregating in corners of rooms. They tend to be attracted to white paint, unfortunate for the homeowner since they excrete an orange substance when stressed and also leave a stain when squashed. The arboreal bugs may be disarming, but they are not harmful. In fact, they help farmers and gardeners by eating pesky aphids, Barnes noted. Many cultures believed that ladybugs are good luck and killing one will bring bad luck. Barnes offered several remedies: If you vacuum them up, they may be released on a warmer day to allow them to find a more suitable winter home. They also can be stored in a cool basement with some sugar water for food and then released in the spring.
There's also been a bountiful spider population this year. Keep in mind that the common venomous house spider Cheiracanthium mildei, which has a reputation for inflicting long-lasting bites, has become very common in Northeastern homes, Barnes said. Those allergic to arachnids should seek immediate medical treatment. "We're very lucky in New York State; truly dangerous spiders are extremely rare," Barnes said.

Crickets can be another aggravating visitor to your home, although some believe they are good luck. But since their lifecycle ends shortly, keeping them in the basement for spring would be fruitless, Barnes said. In addition to the loud chirping, crickets can also cause some damage. They have been known to eat holes in fabrics, leather and rubber, he said.

"I think we'll be treated to their songs well into October," Barnes said. "They'll become almost deafening," Barnes said. "It will seem like they're never going to die no matter what."

A particularly attractive and benign insect to keep an eye out for is the wooly bear caterpillar. In October, scads of these can be seen crossing the road. They spend most of the summer in fields or gardens feeding on lower leaves. In autumn, they begin searching for a place to spend the winter. Some cultures say the severity of winter can be predicted by the size of bands on the red and black caterpillars. Barnes emphasized that the winter has nothing to do with the size of the bands. Keeping caterpillars indoors would not benefit them. Their metabolism needs to slow down for the winter and individuals have even been known to survive after being thawed out of block of ice, he said.

"The caterpillar wanderings happen every year as vegetation starts to die back and leaves start to fall," Barnes said.

While New York State plays host to about 30,000 types of insects and 500 to 600 kinds of spiders, one you may not notice is the state insect: the nine-spotted lady bug or Coccinella novemnotata.It has not been seen in the state since 1970.

"There are a lot of things that are going to get into the house before the winter," Barnes noted. But added homeowners can take some preventative measures: caulking any cracks, keeping mulch and leaves raked back away from homes and shutting garage doors since leaves - a favorite respite for insects - tend to blow into garages.

The New York State Museum houses an extensive entomology collection with more than 600,000 insects and 25,000 mites, ticks and spiders from throughout the state. New York State entomologists are constantly monitoring the state's insect population for signs of extinction, extirpation or introduction of non-native species.