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The western conifer seed bug is a large insect, about three quarters of an inch at its maximum size, with a disconcerting habit. In late summer and the beginning of fall, when it starts to turn cold, it begins showing up in homes, laboratories, government buildings, and schools. In any building. It is injudicious and indiscriminate in where it chooses to go.
Seed bugs do not breed indoors, and do not feed. They don't bite, and they don't sting. Neither do they damage items. They will cluster outside of buildings, especially around windows and doors. Large numbers may enter your home at the same time,
There are no know insecticides that can control them, and indeed one is advised against using any, since no tests have been devised yet. The recommended response is swatting and vacuuming. Be careful when you disturb them, lest they emit an odor which has earned them the well deserved moniker of "stink bug". They also buzz noisily when flying, and their flight patterns are reminiscent of a bumblebee. All the while, these reddish-brown insects have an appearance which only a mother or dedicated entomologist could love.
Western conifer seed bugs were first spotted in Pennsylvania in 1992. Since then, they have been marching relentlessly ever eastward, in their own version of Manifest Destiny.
