Illinois Bugs

If you've thought to yourself that there really seem to be less lightning bugs/fireflies out on warm nights than you remember from being a kid, it's not your imagination. Illinoisans are seeing less of them, and there are three primary reasons why.

We're just a couple of weeks away from the yearly arrival/appearance of Japanese beetles here in Illinois, and their number will continue to grow until they peak in late August. Here are some things about these annoying little bugs that maybe you didn't know.

Experts have called this spring and coming summer season one of the worst they've seen for ticks in Illinois. They're everywhere, and many of them can make you sick--like the Lone Star tick. Here's what to look for and how to avoid getting up close and personal with one.

If you've spent any amount of time outdoors recently, there's every chance that you've encountered anywhere from a few to a few hundred ladybugs swarming around. They're harmless, but it's pretty difficult to avoid having them land on you or your pets for a ride inside your house. So, why so many ladybugs right now?

If you've spent any amount of time in Illinois, you are undoubtedly familiar with those brown bugs that show up every year around this time, looking to get into your house. Here's something that maybe you didn't know: Illinois has not just one, but 11 different types of stink bugs.

When Illinois' weather starts to turn colder at this point in the fall, there are lots of bugs that have one objective: to get inside your home to ride out the bitter cold conditions that Illinois gets every single year. Let's take a look at which ones are planning a home invasion.

Assassin bugs in Illinois and Wisconsin protect your plants from harmful pests, but there is one important thing you should NEVER do when you see one.

For those who work under the theory that bees are good, but hornets, yellow jackets, and especially wasps, are bad (and I'm one of those people), you might want to reconsider and adopt a live and let live attitude with them.

Get the latest guidance on fending off ticks during their most active season in Illinois.

Say what you want about Illinois' frigid, snowy winters, but one thing is for certain: we're pretty much bug free from November to March. However, with this unseasonably warm weather we've been enjoying, the creepy-crawlies will be out and about sooner than usual. Let's look at the deadliest bugs we have in Illinois right before we see them in person.