Bugs and spiders in West Virginia

What to watch for in West Virginia

Ticks are the main concern. Blacklegged, American dog, lone star and brown dog ticks are all established, and the blacklegged tick is recorded most. Blacklegged ticks can be active in any month when temperatures are above freezing, and they can carry disease. Lone star bites are also linked to alpha-gal syndrome, a red-meat allergy. Check yourself and pets after time outdoors.

Northern black widow is the one established Get-advice spider. The southern black widow has records but is not known to live in the state, and those sightings are often misidentified spiders or hitchhikers. Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 is the number for a bite that worries you. Eastern yellowjackets are common and most noticed around food and trash in late summer.

Through the year

Spring

Eastern carpenter bees are out in April through June, spotted lanternfly nymphs start in late April, and Asian lady beetles try to leave on warm days through April.

Summer

Spotted lanternfly adults appear from July, dark fishing spiders and European paper wasps are around the house, and yellowjacket nests keep growing.

Fall

Late August brings the first boxelder bugs indoors, Asian lady beetles, stink bugs and western conifer seed bugs follow in September and October, and yellow garden spiders are at their most noticeable.

Winter

Blacklegged ticks can be active whenever temperatures are above freezing, house centipedes get noticed more indoors, and brown marmorated stink bugs stir on warm days.