Boxelder Bugs Go On The Attack
They’re back. Boxelder bugs are out in force, clinging to the siding, screen doors and windows of our houses. Though they can sort of fly, they think nothing of hitching a ride on anything that moves.
Why so many boxelder bugs where there is no boxelder tree? Because their preferred host is a maple tree, and we have plenty of those around here.
Adult boxelder bugs are about a half-inch long, brownish-black with three red stripes on the thorax and red veins on the wings. The immature stage of this insect is a tiny bright red nymph.
Boxelder bugs are normally more of a nuisance than harmful, although they do feed on flowers, fruit and the tender new shoots of ash, maple and fruit trees. I can attest to this; I fought a losing battle against them last year when hundreds ravaged our corn ears, leaving the corn inedible. Yes, hundreds.
It’s not unusual for boxelder bugs to swarm. Some years back, when I worked at the county extension office, a gentlemen called about controlling these insects. As I babbled on about how they were simply a nuisance pest, he politely interrupted: “Ma’am,” he said. “We’re not talking 10 or a 100. We’re talking thousands. The door and walls are alive with them. I can’t get into my house.”
One of the best controls for boxelder bugs is a strong blast of soapy water. The soap quickly breaks down the metabolism of the insect while it cleans the siding. You can also spray them with pyrethrum or malathion or you can dust them with rotenone.
If you find them inside your house, simply vacuum them up. They don’t feed on clothing, although they have been known to munch on some houseplants.
Enter to win
Your lawn could win you $5,000 in the Lowe’s and Briggs & Stratton third annual All-American Lawn Contest. Judges will select lawns that typify the all-American look, whether impeccably groomed or well-used. Entries will be judged on lawn use, care, creativity and character.
Entry forms are available at participating Lowe’s stores, the Lowe’s Web site at www.lowes.com and the Briggs & Stratton Web site at www.briggsandstratton.com. All entries must include color photographs or a videotape of the lawn and a one-page description, or by writing All-American Lawn Contest, P.O. Box 1835, Elgin, IL 60121-1835. Deadline is July 31.
Remember, lawns are major components of our landscapes, serving to stabilize soil, cool the air and make oxygen. We can help our environment by leaving the grass clippings on the lawn. They decompose quickly and return nutrients to the soil.
Feed lawns with slow-release fertilizers and alternate feedings with organic fertilizers. Also, try to water once deeply instead of several times lightly. And water in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation.
Mark your calendar
The Master Composter training class will be offered Saturdays in April starting tomorrow. In exchange for the training, books and a compost bin, new master composters are asked to donate 40 hours in community service. If you’re interested in this program, call today, 747-0242 or 625-6580, to register.
Master Composters will offer Composting 101 classes at area libraries: Monday at the South Hill Library, Tuesday at the Shadle Library, Thursday at the East Side Library and April 17 at the Argonne Library. There will be six more dates and locations to be announced next week. Call the Recycling Hotline 747-0242 for times and addresses of the libraries.
Gary Blevins, a Spokane Falls Community College science instructor, will present a program on birdwatching, “Mysteries of Migration,” April 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Manito Park meeting room. Admission is $5, free for Friends of Manito members.
The Friens of Manito are looking for unused garden pots. Please take any pots you want to recycle to the Manito park work area, just east of the conservatory, on April 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The final Kootenai County Extension class, “Honey Bees and Us,” will be held Monday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the office, 106 E. Dalton in Coeur d’Alene. Class fee is $5. Please call (208) 667-6426 to register.