If you are seeing black and red bugs scurrying about near trees and buildings, they may be boxelder bugs. Boxelder bugs (Boisea rubrolineata) feed on the flowers, leaves and seedpods of female boxelder trees (Acer negundo) and occasionally are found on maple and ash, and sometimes on certain stone fruits and grapes.

Boxelder bugs are often confused with other insects that look similar such as red-shouldered bugs, squash bugs, the bordered plant bug, and leaffooted bugs.

This insect doesn't usually cause significant damage to landscape plants, but when their numbers are high during fall, they can build up on outside walls or sometimes enter houses and may be considered a nuisance.

If you have a...

Every summer, a handful of insect pests can become a real nuisance when they invade your space, bite, or sting you. Whether you take a staycation or a vacation, you'll want to watch our videos for tips on how to deal with these pests when you encounter them.

1 Ants: What to do if you have an ant emergency

2 Bed bugs: Don't bring bed bugs home when you travel!

3 Mosquitoes:...

Conenose or ‘kissing bugs' (Triatoma spp.) have received a good deal of press from CBS Sacramento and other media outlets in recent weeks. Although not a new insect to California or the U.S., we thought readers might benefit from some guidance and information on these bugs in case one should encounter these seldom seen insects.

Conenose bugs can vector a protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, that causes Chagas disease in humans. While conenose bugs do bite humans, the protozoan is transmitted via the bug's feces, rather than through bites.

Conenose bugs are in the...

Over the past few weeks there have been numerous reports of bug invasions near Ridgecrest, Inyokern, and other cities in the high desert of eastern Kern County, California.  Residents and business owners have reported large aggregations of bugs within their homes, businesses, and on the streets.  There have been no reports of damage to agricultural crops, landscape plants, or people.  However, the nuisance and paranoia associated with bugs crawling on business walls and people has led to numerous inquiries into what is going on and how long it will last.

The bugs belong to a family of insects called lygaeids that are commonly referred to as seed bugs.  Seed bugs use their straw-like mouthparts to extract...