365 Urban Species: #013 Western Conifer Seed Bug

[urbpan]

Urban species #013: Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis

In the spring, this bug (a "true" bug as the entomologically inclined sometimes say) lays its eggs on the needles of a pine, spruce, or fir tree. The babies feed on the various softer parts of the tree, and when grown feed on the seeds. As summer comes to a close, they look for a warm place to spend the cold months. Houses and other heated buildings are favored winter hiding places.

This, of course, is where they run afoul of humans. The WCSB (not a tv station, but the abbreviation used by the Massachusetts Audubon Society) is a harmless insect, but it can inspire alarm. First of all, it's unfamiliar to many people, especially on the east coast. As its name suggests, it's a western animal, but has been drifting eastward during for the past hundred years or so. "In 1956 the WCSB was reported in Iowa and in 1990 several were found in New York State," according to Mass Audubon's Linda Cocca. By 1985 it was in New England. For another thing, it sounds rather menacing: it buzzes in flight, like a bee or a wasp. And finally, like its relatives the stink bugs, it produces an odor in defense. Personally, I find their smell to be not unpleasant--somewhere between sour apple and pine scent. But the WCSB doesn't bite, eat human food (or anything else inside the house), or bore into wood. If only all insect invaders were so polite.

Comments

[maybethecat.livejournal.com]

very nice clear pics, and i enjoy all the facts i become smarter with each one and to this i owe you my thanks

[amazingrando.livejournal.com]

Those guys are super-chill. I always find them in my dorm room these days.

[richmackin.livejournal.com]

These are quite common in Portland- there's a few different bugs here, and they seem to be "seasonal" in that there will be one week where they seem to be EVERYWHERE. One species is maybe twice as thick and a bit longer as the ones you show, and others are black with red trim.

One thing I've noticed is that between people here being more liberal and knowing more about plants and animals, is that people here react to them as animals, and not as pests. I once had a coworker ask me to remove one of these from her cubical- she was grossed by it but wished it no harm and knew I would just remove it without killing it. I brought it outside and put it on a tree and a passerby figured out what I was doing and thanked me.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

Don't know if you're still around, Rich, but I was just looking at this entry and realized I know the second bug you are talking about: the boxelder bug
.

[richmackin.livejournal.com]

Yep! That's him!

[samemaha.livejournal.com]

Thank you VERY much. I was wondering what they were.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

You're quite welcome! Any other household or urban wildlife mysteries, just ask!

WCSB

[(Anonymous)]

I live in Buffalo NY and one of these bugs landed on my shoulder while I was sitting in my dining room. I had no idea what it was until I found this blog. It was just as you described it, big, loud and completely unfamiliar to me. and it smelled like a sour apple jolly rancher.

[(Anonymous)]

Thank you so much for putting this on line! I have found 2 of these and I thought they could be cockroaches then I stumbled on your blog!!! You really have helped to put my mind at ease. THANKS!