[OhBeeHave]

The one cool thing I will say about insects in VT was that I was lucky enough to experience Luna Moths during a brief period in 2004.

No one on LI believed me about the size of them -- bigger than saucers! I was amazed as I drove along at night, wondering what these 'birds' were doing flying in the darkness. I knew they weren't bats. When I got to where I was going, there were a few huge Lunas on the screens of the house.

Well, they were cool until someone let the dogs in and let one in the house. Nothing like dodging a huge moth hell bent on escaping the house!

[veggieck]

you got it... we're at the Jersey shore and the green head and mosquitos make life miserable just when you're ready to be outside. If it wasn't for screened in porches, we would never be outside between June and Aug. Definitely looking for some place where this isn't an issue. I was so hoping VT was this place. We go to Stowe to ski; I see the photos of the other seasons and would love to be a part of that without the black fly issue, though.

[Vermonr]

Where I live we get it all- mostly TERRIBLE mosquitoes. You go outside for five minutes and come back practically eaten alive. In recent years the population has decreased, perhaps due to the spraying that they do. But there are still many other bugs as well- in the fields we get black crickets, on the trees tent caterpillars, and you can't forgot all the Japanese beetles!

Still, don't give up on Vermont just because we have our fair share of bugs. I think its a small price to pay for all the nature and wildlife we get in return. And remember, we get those "nicer" bugs too- butterflies, woolly bears, and as OhBeeHave said, Luna moths. If you have kids they'll have a blast finding and catching all those guys.

[GypsySoul22]

One bug we saw last year (credit my son who loves to study nature) is an ant lion. The place we rented was being 'renovated' constantly by the landlord and he had his worker digging up a lot of the foundation.

I had no clue what the thing was but my son did. Very cool.

[Duff in VT]

Deer flies ARE annoying. A deer fly patch, sticky thing you put on your cap, catches them nicely. Very satisfying. Find them at hardware or sporting stores on on Ebay. After working in a hot field, you can have twenty or more on the sticky patch! Fun for all ages !

[veggieck]

thanx, "Vermonr" for the encouragement to still consider moving to your beautiful state. I see that you are from the western portion of the state. I'm wondering if this is a state wide issue. We don't have little ones at home anymore; hoping we'll resettle in VT and the "kids" (both post college aged) would eventually join us. I have found many good real estate and employment options in VT and kinda put the skids on things when I heard about this pesky bug situation.

[Vermonr]

Veggieck, I think that my town gets hit a bit harder than other areas because we live in a very wet, swampy area. The woods tend to be thick here too, so my guess would be that more developed areas such as Burlington would not have as much of a problem. I know that up in the mountains the bug situation is actually typically better than it is in my hometown, even though the mountainous areas tend to be more rural. So it's very well possible that you wouldn't have to deal with the same killer mosquitoes that I have to.

[MistyVT]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

It's the Western Conifer Seed Bug. Check it out:
Western conifer seed bug - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I've never had one of these IN my home or in my yard. However, I know that the play yard at the "Old Dana School" aka Rutland Recreation Center.....is infested in the spring! I've never seen an infestation anything like it...except in that yard...I guess they like the wood chips or something. UGGHHHH! You must live on that side of town.

[NYLIER]

VERMONR, I heard that Brandon has a mosquito problem. I go to that Town often and never noticed them. We love Sullys and the ice cream parlor around the corner. Mmmmm!

SHERYLCAT, we get those weird bugs around our house.

Vermont has a lot of insects but some of them are really beautiful. Some of the dragonflies have the most vibrant neon colors of blues, reds and purples. The grasshoppers are pretty too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad. I wouldn't base my decision to move to VT on bugs. If you want to live in the country, insects come with the territory. Other then the flies swarming around my head, I enjoy seeing the bugs. It reminds me of my childhood. Oh, what about the fireflies at night.....it is like a light show. It looks like thousands of people are walking outside your house with flashlights!! I have never seen anything like it!

[proudflatlander]

We have mosquitos in the summer and some years they are around all summer, morning to night from may to september some years we do not even have to buy the anti-bug spray.
This past summer has been pretty bad but the summer before last we had no problems at all.