Bugs and spiders in Rhode Island

What to watch for in Rhode Island

The ticks here are the American dog tick, the blacklegged tick, the lone star tick and the brown dog tick. The blacklegged tick can spread Lyme disease and several other serious infections, and it can be active whenever temperatures are above freezing. The American dog tick can spread Rocky Mountain spotted fever and tularemia, and the lone star tick is linked to alpha-gal syndrome. A tick bite is worth watching for rash or fever afterward.

The northern black widow is established in Rhode Island. Adult females can cause spreading pain and muscle cramps with a bite; get medical advice right away if you suspect one, or call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 if you are worried. Cockroaches, bed bugs and house flies are only Occasional. The Be-careful species you are most likely to meet are eastern yellowjackets, European paper wasps, eastern carpenter bees and dark fishing spiders.

Through the year

Spring

Rough sowbugs and pill bugs follow wet weather, eastern carpenter bees start drilling, and American dog ticks are active from about April.

Summer

Spotted lanternfly adults arrive in July, and black carpenter ants and yellowjackets are busy around the house.

Fall

Asian lady beetles, brown marmorated stink bugs, western conifer seed bugs and boxelder bugs move in from September, and European earwigs turn up indoors.

Winter

Expect a few lady beetles or stink bugs on warm days, and the odd Indianmeal moth indoors.