Upstate NY Bug

Feb 19, 2024

What kind of bug is this?

At first, we thought we had discovered the Queen Stink Bug, nearly an inch long and slowly crawling in through the doorway. Much larger than the stink bug, this bug known as "The Assassin," had wings and also look prehistoric.

It turns out, we were being invaded by "The Eastern Conifer Seed Bug" - formerly called the Leptoglossus occidentalis. This bug actually has some similarities to the Stink Bug. The bug is also often times called, "leaf footed bugs."

According to the Insect Diagnostic Laboratory in Ithaca, "the Western conifer seed bug has become a nuisance pest to some New York residents. The bug has the habit of entering buildings at the onset of cold weather in the late summer or early fall as it seeks a protected site to spend the winter. These bugs do not bite or sting, nor do they cause damage to the home. They will, however, give off a pungent odor if you handle them, which is part of the insect's defensive strategy. They also may make a buzzing sound when flying."

Clearly, they're not harmful but these are not bugs you want making it into your home for the winter.

Another cool tool to help determine what kind of bug you've come across, is the iPhone.

It's really pretty simple. Take a picture of the bug and open it in photos. At the bottom of your iPhone screen, to the left of the trash can and right of the heart, select the "I" in the circle. Then select: Look Up - Bug.

You can use this feature with a lot of different things including plants and flowers.