What’s European, invasive, and has come to the U.S. in droves this summer? No, I’m not talking about camera-carrying, street-traffic-stopping tourists, I’m talking about the elm seed bug.
These pesky invaders, normally found in central and southern Europe, have made a new home for themselves in Idaho. It’s still unclear how they got there, but local residents are already looking for ways to get rid of them. The bugs, though, aren’t going anywhere — except, that is, into residents’ homes.
“The numbers were getting bigger and bigger and then we had a heat wave. It was about 105 degrees and they decided to move into the house,” said Stephen Cox, Idaho resident and employee of the state’s Department of Agriculture. “Hundreds and hundreds at a time and then thousands… I’d vacuum them up but they were on every door, every wall. The windows were covered. They’d drop on your head every time you opened the door. They’d fall onto your plate in the middle of dinner.”
In addition to Idaho, residents from as far away as South Carolina and New Jersey have called to report seeing the insects.
While their presence is certainly a nuisance, the good news is that they cause no real harm to humans, plants, or pets. Time will tell if this species will stick around and, if so, how its presence will affect the native ecosystem and food chain. For now, residents will just have to wait out the swarms.
Main image credit: Idaho State Department of Agriculture