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About Polk County itemizer observer. (Dallas, Or) 1992-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 16, 2016)
Polk County Living Polk County Itemizer-Observer • November 16, 2016 9A Home sweet home bugged by uninvited winter guests ENGAGEMENTS Ivey - Dunmire Cooler temperatures drive many insects indoors, including some exotic species B RUCE P OKARNEY Agnews The welcome mat outside your home’s front door probably isn’t intended for all species of life, especially those with lots of legs. Nonetheless, many insects jump at the chance – or more likely crawl — to find a cozy shelter as win- ter approaches. Oregon homeowners and apartment dwellers may notice the usual increased indoor ac- tivity of insects associated with this time of year. “During fall and winter, several insect species — both introduced and native — can enter homes in large numbers,” says Oregon De- partment of Agriculture en- tomologist Jim LaBonte. “They may be a nuisance, but homeowners should not be overly concerned with these bugs. They are not a threat to humans, pets, or structures in any way, man- ner, or form.” Because these pests are relatively small — some species are very tiny — they can easily enter through gaps under and around doors leading outside, poor- ly fitting windows, dryer vents, and other points of access into a residence. While almost all species of these pests feed on plants, they do not feed while over- wintering and should not harm house plants. These insects do not reproduce while inside homes. Keeping these bugs out in the first place is probably the best choice for residents. “The best thing to do is to seal up points of access,” says LaBonte. “For bugs that have already entered the home, it depends on how many you have and your tolerance for them. You can escort them outside, flush them down the toilet, or dispose of them as you see fit.” After a few hard frosts, the outdoor bugs will likely be- come ver y inactive or will have already found shel- ter for the winter. In either case, they aren’t likely to come indoors. Several native species find their way into the home during winter, most com- monly the box elder bug, Boisea rubrolineata, which normally feeds on maple leaves. ODA has re- ceived calls about the na- tive western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occiden- talis, a leaf-footed bug sometimes mistaken for the “conenose” or “kissing” bug. That bug is a species of assassin bug, which bites people, sucks their blood, and can transmit Chaga’s disease. However, “co- nenose/kissing” bugs are not found in Oregon. Over the past dozen years, a handful of exotic species have burst onto the local scene in high numbers. One insect pest with an unsavory name and an un- appealing scent first showed up in Portland in 2004. At the time, it was the first ap- pearance of the brown mar- morated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys west of the Mississippi. Since then, the bug has be- The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB an insect pest with an unsavory name and an unappealing scent first showed up in Portland in 2004. come established through- out Oregon, with large pop- ulations in the Willamette Valley area. BMSB — native to Asia — is similar in looks to some Oregon’s native stink bugs, but is not affected by the natural predators, parasites, or diseases that help con- trol native stink bugs. Where established, it can enter homes by the thou- sands, which can be stressful and disturbing to residents. BMSBs can release an un- pleasant odor when dis- turbed but are otherwise harmless to people. House or ground spiders often enter homes this time of year, especially while seeking mates. These spi- ders are nothing to be con- cerned about, according to LaBonte. The only truly poi- sonous Oregon spider is the black widow, which is rarely common in resi- dences except perhaps in eastern or southern Oregon. It appears to be a normal year of indoor bug activity in Oregon. ODA is receiv- ing fewer reports of brown marmorated stink bugs in homes, but that may be a sign of Oregonians just get- ting used to having them around. No matter the species, its normal for you to share your home this winter with insects whether you like it or not. 1. Rough stink bug, Brochymena affinis 2. Arhyssus sp. 3. Box elder bug, Boisea rubrolineata 4. Various color morphs of multicolored asian lady- bird beetle, Harmonia axyridis 5. Xanthochilus saturnius 6. Tuxedo bug, Raglius al- boacuminatus 7. Elm seed bug, Arocatus melanocephalus 8. Western conifer seed bug, Leptoglossus occi- dentalis 9. Brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys 10. Big nose bug, Metopoplex ditmoides (with a silhouette to scale, as they are ~4mm in length.) MI TOWN We’re smack dab in the middle of November and around our house, we seem to comment frequently that the days are going by much too quickly. We’re just get- ting used to the time change and fallout from the recent elections, and now Thanks- giving is just around the cor- ner. All the big department stores are being decked out for Christmas already, and we still have leftover Hal- loween candy in the pantry. Call me the village spoil sport, but I just can’t under- stand why the rush is on to begin the shopping season this early. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday, with friends and families gathering to share good and happy times together, and for us to all give thanks for our many blessings. It would be good to take the time to P ATTY T AYLOR D UTCHER Columnist enjoy this special time of year and not be inundated by Christmas carols and decorations so soon. — Members of our commu- nity are invited to attend and participate in a town hall forum this evening (Wednesday) from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Richard Wood- cock Education Center, Pastega Conference Room (Room 101). Western Ore- gon University is actively en- gaged in a strategic planning process and welcomes sug- gestions, ideas and ques- tions from residents who wish to share in the discus- sion. For more information, visit the website at wou.edu/planning. Light re- freshments will be served. — The Friends of the Mon- mouth Library are looking for books for their upcom- ing sale from Dec. 1-22, and are especially needing chil- dren’s books in good condi- tion. This sale is a wonderful opportunity to find nearly- new books for gift giving as well as excellent books from all categories for everyone in your family. Proceeds from the sale are used to pay for items for the library that are not included in the regular budget. Please bring your gently used books to the li- brary by Nov. 30. — These dark and rainy days keep us indoors much of the time, and both the Inde- pendence and Monmouth libraries have many good programs available for read- ers of all ages. There’s noth- ing more comfy on a dark and rainy day than a good book and a cozy nook – and they are in plentiful supply at our public libraries. — If you’re running out of places to recycle all those leaves and yard debris, be sure to bring it to Riverview Park in Independence Satur- day from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., and Brandt’s will take it all away. You can even include any old pumpkins, grass, twigs and tree limbs. Please don’t bring ashes, dirt, sod, rocks or gravel, stumps, ani- mal waste, or painted or fin- ished wood. Any questions, please call 503-838-0464. Cody Ivey and Amber Dunmire, both of Dal- las, announced their engagement. The cou- ple is planning a No- vember 2017 wedding. The bride-to-be is the daughter of Steve Dunmire and Shelly Boatwright, both of Dallas, and grand- daughter of Willard Lynn and Janice Dun- mire, also of Dallas. The groom-to-be is the son of Tim and Heather Ivey, of Dallas, and Lisa Weajley, of Scio and grandson of Gary and Kathy Ivey, also of Dallas. VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES These Polk County groups would welcome individuals who have time or expertise to volunteer. Organizations that would like to be added to this list should call 503-623- 2373 or email IOnews@polkio.com. • AARP Foundation Tax-Aide – 503-930-7636 • After DARC — 503-623-9501 • Arc of Polk County — 541-223-3261 • Central School District — 503-838-0030 • City of Dallas — 503-831-3502 • City of Independence — 503-838-1212 • City of Monmouth — 503-751-0145 • Crime Victims Assistance Program — 503-623-9268 • Dallas Area Chamber of Commerce — 503-623-2564 • Dallas Fire Department — 503-831-3532 • Dallas Food Bank — 503-623-3578 • Dallas Kids, Inc. — 503-623-6419 • Dallas Police Department — 503-831-3582 • Dallas Public Library — 503-623-2633 • Dallas Retirement Village — 503-623-5581 • Dallas School District — 503-623-5594 • Delbert Hunter Arboretum — 503-623-7359 • Girl Scouts of Southwest Washington and Oregon — 503-581-2451 • Ella Curran Food Bank — 503-838-1276 • Falls City Arts Center — 503-559-6291 • Falls City School District — 503-787-3531 • Family Building Blocks – 503-566-2132, ext. 308. • H-2-O — 503-831-4736 HART (Horses Adaptive Riding and Therapy) — 971-301-4278 • HandsOn Mid-Willamette Valley — 503-363-1651 • Heron Pointe Assisted Living — 503-838-6850 • Independence Health and Rehabilitation — 503-838-0001 • Independence Public Library — 503-838-1811 • Kings Valley Charter School — 541-929-2134 • Luckiamute Watershed Council — 503-837-0237 • Luckiamute Valley Charter School – 503-623-4837 • Meals on Wheels — 503-838-2084 • Monmouth-Independence Chamber of Commerce — 503-838-4268 • Monmouth-Independence YMCA — 503-838-4042 • Monmouth Public Library — 503-838-1932 • Northwest Human Services — 503-588-5828 • Oregon Child Development Coalition — 503-838-2745 • OSU Extension Service - Polk County — 503-623-8395 • Perrydale School District — 503-623-2040 • Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Polk County Inc. — 503-623-8473 • Polk Community Development Corporation — 503-831-3173 • Polk County Community Emergency Response Team — 503-623-9396 • Polk County Museum — 503-623-6251 • Polk County Public Health — 503-623-8175 • Polk County Resource Center — 503-623-8429 • Polk Soil and Water Conservation District — 503-623-9680 • Relief Nursery Classroom — 503-566-2132 • SABLE House — 503-623-6703 • SALT (Senior and law enforcement together) — 503-851-9366 • Salvation Army — 503-798-4783 • SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) — 503-391-8423 • Salem Health West Valley Hospital — 503-623-8301 • Victim Assistance Program-Polk Co. District Attorney’s Office 503-623-9268 x1444 • Willamette Valley Hospice — 503-588-3600 PEDEE NEWS James and Jenny Mellein and kids, Tom and Amy Gilson and kids, and Daniel and Heidi Russell and kids spent the Halloween week- end at Newpor t. The Me l l e i n s a n d R u s s e l l s shared a house with a view of the ocean. The children were excited about playing on the beach, and with 12 children between the fami- lies, it made for a lot of fun and a big pile of sandy wet shoes. The trip was round- ed out with visits from grandparents and a walk along the Newport bay front where people dressed up for Halloween were passing out candy (The lit- tle ones weren’t sure what to think of receiving candy from a person in a strange costume). — A RLENE K OVASH Columnist Pam Burbank is happy to report that her house is now licensed as an adult foster care home. She got her personal license last spring. So she will now be accepting clients, plus is still looking for additional employees. — Joy Overlie has two al- pacas she’d like to get to new homes. One has pa- pers and one is a cute white one. She says, “Make an offer!” — Thank you to Nancy Yancey, Pharmacist at Dallas Pill Box, for her exceptional, personalized service. She is truly a client advocate! Susan Wagner, RN Pedee Church will again be participating in Opera- tion Christmas Child, which is a project where people pack shoeboxes with gifts for children. Please consider making your own box(es) with your family, or take items to fill boxes with to the church. They can also use dona- tions of shoe boxes — qual- ity plastic ones are a great “reusable” option, or sturdy cardboard. Another option is to give money to cover the postage cost. The dead- line is Monday, and the kids at church will be packing the boxes on Sunday, so please donate soon. Con- tact Diana Barnhart: td- barhart@aol.com for more information, or go to the Operation Christmas Child website for info on packing, 24 hour Service age ranges, etc. They also have gift suggestions. — The women at the Pedee Women’s Club were so thankful to the guys in the Pedee Fire Department who helped set up the clubhouse and fire hall for the holiday fair. Ethan McKinney, Jimmy Libke, Mickenzy Tootle, Nic Heller, Brian Yost, and Daniel Russell did the heavy lifting for the women, so all was done in a jiffy. This fair is very special — surely almost everyone from the community comes, plus lots of other people, and even a biker group that comes every year for the soup and pie. Barb Max, of Corvallis, was the winner of hte patriotic quilt raffle that benefits the soldier fund. Pick up & Drop Off Visit our website, www.polkio.com for local news, sports and community events.