When is the Charcoal Seed Bug Going Away?

Desert Hot Springs, CA They’re still creating a lot of chatter across Coachella Valley: the charcoal seed bug. They began popping up in Palm Springs earlier this summer, now residents in other communities are wondering what to do about these pesky insects. The good news is they’re harmless. They’re also not expected to hang around for much longer. We’re seeing them in such large populations because of how much rain we had earlier this year. They feed on seeds and vegetation that was created because of the moisture. Story: Bug Infestation Hits Palm Springs Neighborhoods They’re not a beetle nor a bug that bites. They’re just a little pest that likes to feed on plants. "They eat seeds, for one, but at night they’re not looking for seeds,” Kurt Leuschner, professor of natural resources at College of the Desert. “They’re attracted to lights. I think that’s why people are noticing them. They might have porch lights on or exterior lighting and the bugs congregate near the lights or the nearby screen." Story: Potentially Devastating Citrus Disease Found In Riverside County According to the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District, there’s not much you can do to treat them. Because the adult charcoal seed bugs love light, they will gather near front doors and inside homes. Spraying don’t work as well as vacuuming when you’re indoors and sweeping or leaf-blowing them when you’re outside. The good news is, according to CVMVCD, these bugs should be gone by the end of the month. They are common in Arizona, and they usually don’t hang out in Arizona past August.