Posted by jen hill on July 28, 2005

Q: we have these bugs in our home ..they come out at night.not in the day .they look simalar to maple bugs but don't have any red on them. they do not fly and are about 1/2 inch long

Habitat: suburban/yard

State: Saskatchewan

Habitat: suburban/yard

A: Gosh Jen, I don't know what Maple Bugs are. Tried to look them up but couldn't find any info on this insect by using its common name. Common names are often different in different parts of the country so this is why scientists often use Latin names to help them with identification.

Many insects are active at night when it's safer (fewer predators) to be out looking for food. I think the best way to discover what you have is to look in a field guide and see what matches your insects. If you can get the Golden Nature Guide to Insects (paperback and inexpensive) it will give you lots of pictures and info on different kinds. It may not give you the exact picture of "your" bug, but it should get you close enough that you can look somewhere else to find out exactly what you have. One insect that is quite common in houses and also one that comes out at night is the cockroach. I'd look this one up first to see if it matches your insect. Cockroaches are yucky for many people but they don't cause disease and don't necessarily live in dirty homes. Good luck on your search. Thanks for asking.

John Wiessinger ( July 28, 2005)