These Pesky Bugs Are Back!

(Augusta, Maine) - Maine forestry officials are starting to get complaints about swarms of these bugs as cold weather approaches.

This is a boxelder bug. These guys feed on the leaves, flowers and seed pods of boxelder trees and other maples.

They don't stink or damage the wood in your home, but they gather in large numbers this time of year trying to find a warm place to winter. Like inside your home!

I always find a few of the boxelder bugs in my house in the fall and winter. And on a warmer, sunny fall day, there are sometimes hundreds of them sunning themselves on the white paint of my garage doors.

Maine officials say they are also visible in the spring, when they are trying to get out of buildings after spending the winter in warmth.