I was knocking the bark off some of wood I split the other day to help it dry faster and found several little yellow worm-like critters. I believe they are some type of bark borer or leaf roller.

Under the Bark

Cocoon Under the Bark

Rethinking my Strategy

Earlier I posted that my preferred method of killing stinkbugs was to squash them in a paper towel. There are a couple of problems with this method. First, they can leak green or red goo that has to be cleaned up. Second, there are just too many of the dang things this year.

Weapons Against Stinkbugs

Stinkbugs in Shopvac

A shop vac is a good tool against stinkbugs. Most die from the vacuum cleaner experience. Some survive so I dump them in a bucket of soapy water to get the rest.

Yucky Stinkbug Bucket

Stinkbug Traps

A New Jersey man invented a stinkbug trap, with instructions provided. The concept makes sense as I’ve seen several that like to hibernate in our honeycomb shades. I haven’t built his trap yet.

I’ve experimented with a glass full of soapy water containing a light-up plastic ice cube to attract the nuisance stinkbugs, but without success. I had better luck this weekend with good, old-fashioned fly paper. Several were trapped with this method.

Stinkbugs on Flypaper

Annoying Stinkbugs

This year is definitely looking like a bad one for stinkbugs. Here are a couple photos documenting the invasion of the stink bugs:

Stinkbugs on a Window

Stinkbugs Infiltrating a Screened-In Porch

Stinkbug Control?

Does anyone recommend an exterior spray to prevent stinkbugs from getting into homes?

Are professional pest control companies effective against stinkbugs?

See Also: Invasion of the Stink Bugs

I first saw a purple thing hanging in a tree while visiting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee over a year ago. I’ve since seen them popping up in Virginia.

So what is that purple thing hanging in a tree?

Purple Thing Hanging in Tree

Those purple things hanging in trees are emerald ash borer traps designed to attract emerald ash borers.

The emerald ash borer is an invasive beetle from Asia; their larvae destroy ash trees. More info at StopTheBeetle.Info. The most important thing you can do to help prevent the spread of this invasive species is to not transport firewood.

See also: Do your part to keep Virginia’s ash trees safe

Eric, a nearby Virginia resident, gave me permission to post these photos he took of a black widow spider…

Hi S.P.

I took these pictures of a black widow under my deck railing this morning. I was leaning on the railing one evening last week and I looked down and saw the random-looking webbing. Then I pulled a bit of it and sure enough, the strands were very sturdy and also sticky. For size reference, the vertical wood is 1.25 by 1.25

I looked underneath and saw her there, but waited until more light today to take the pictures. Later today I will relocate her in my black widow relocation area, about 500 feet and across the road from my house.

Black Widow Spider "Hourglass"

Black Widow Spider