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Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Ok, to start with I had absolutely NO squash bugs in my patch the entire season last year. Never even saw an egg! Over the last 2 weeks we have found and killed 5 adult squash bugs in our house! During that time it has been high temps in the 30's and lows in the teens. The only thing I can figure is maybe our Christmas tree which was a real fir. Could the eggs have been on the tree and hatched once inside in the warm temps? Or are these things just a bad omen for the new season!

1/10/2010 10:35:32 PM

you got growers freinds who know how to really give gifts?

1/10/2010 10:50:53 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Don, now that one made me laugh!!! Strange...I never thought of that.

1/11/2010 8:30:46 AM

Circleville ,OH.

Look up boxelder bugs they look almost the same and are known for entering houses in the winter.

1/11/2010 9:21:20 AM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Boxelder bugs have the same rusty red that SVB's have, and some of the nymph types will really make you worry.

If the temp gets above freezing they will come out! Boxelders will seek refuge anywhere, if it was those, you probably did have them show up with the Xmas tree.

Hoping that's what you had and not your fanclub sending you a baby food jar of....

1/11/2010 9:42:38 AM

ordinary,VA

Mark i told you put the Jack away relax,the squash bugs will be here soon enough....
found one in my house right after Thanksgiving,couldnt teach that one to swim either.....

1/11/2010 11:29:32 AM

ExtremeVegetables.com

I'd bet what your finding are Assassin bugs. they are very similar to squash bugs and are fairly winter hardy.

1/11/2010 1:58:08 PM

[email protected]

Box Elder bugs probably, Assassin bugs maybe.

1/11/2010 7:05:41 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Do squash bugs fly? These things fly around like like moths around a light.

1/11/2010 10:38:31 PM

Boise City, Oklahoma, USA

Boxelder bugs are ovally, dullish sort of a brownblack color to the wings, and a sort of VEE of the red across the wings when folded, point points towards the head. The two sizes of nymph I've seen are at about 2/3 and 1/3 size and have some of that rusty orangered about the head. Yes they will fly, not just crawl. Adults may approach 1/2" long.

1/12/2010 9:31:17 AM

Eastern Washington State

If it doesn't have a angular pattern on it's back then its probably an assasin bug. Sunday afternoon I showed the 4 year old the assasin bug that was crawling up the window screen. Careful, they can really bite! I'd rather get stung by a wasp.

1/12/2010 3:56:50 PM

Southeastkansas

Jeepers, I just looked up "assassin bug" and that's what we call a "stink bug" in Kansas. they look like some sort of prehistoric monster bug! The boxelder bugs are around in winter here, but ain't no stinkin' stink bugs in the house.

1/14/2010 6:58:00 PM