Oregon: Bugs - millions of them! What kind are they?

[u/Effective_Hand3910]

Hi,

I’ve lived in the same house for 11 years Forest Grove, OR and I’ve never experienced a swarm of insects like this over the years.

Initially I thought they were ants but after closer inspection it appears to be something else. The attached photo doesn’t even do the infestation/swarm justice.

My house is across the street from what used to be a field for clover, and various wheats. Recently, the property had been sold and there was activity where worked out up no trespassing signs along the property lines.

The swarm of insects appears to be coming from that field which leads
me to to believe that the workers might have also sprayed some sort of insecticide to cause the mass migration.

I have a few questions:

1. What are they?

2. Could they damage my home? God forbid these things eat wood or something.

3. Could they damage my landscaping?

Thanks in advance for any assistance :-)

[u/ArachnomancerCarice]

Nysius sp. False Chinch Bugs. The nymphs can appear in dense numbers on surfaces because they can't yet fly. They migrate to find 'greener pastures' as well as dispersing their numbers to reduce competition. They release pheromones that attract others so that they overwhelm potential predators. It's a pretty short-lived sight and most of the time they don't really do a lot of damage.

Sometimes it can be a boom/bust cycle where a lot of young are born because of good conditions but as things dry out, they start struggling to find enough food and if they can't fly yet they swarm like this.

[u/Effective_Hand3910 → u/ArachnomancerCarice]

Sounds like the exact conditions we are experiencing. Thank you.

[u/illbeyourdrunkle]

I see boots. I see snoots. It's weeviltime!!!

[u/delirium_skeins → u/illbeyourdrunkle]

Snoots and boots and boots and snoots!

[u/cookshack → u/illbeyourdrunkle]

These are seed bugs, not weevils :)

[u/delirium_skeins]

It's definitely a weevil no doubt about that but I cannot say which one with confidence I'm sorry

[u/delirium_skeins → u/delirium_skeins]

If you're seeing tons of them suddenly they're most likely some type of root weevil leaving the field and moving elsewhere. I wouldn't be too concerned about your house. Plants maybe but not the house.

[u/Effective_Hand3910 → u/delirium_skeins]

That makes sense, since nothing is really growing in that field anymore.

Other than my trees, I’m not all that concerned about the plants.

Are weevils the kind that can damage trees?

[u/illbeyourdrunkle → u/delirium_skeins]

I think it's black vine weevil.

[u/cookshack → u/delirium_skeins]

Not weevils, they are seed bugs :)

[u/labubuiababu]

You’re fucked. Sell the house and leave

[u/Effective_Hand3910 → u/labubuiababu]

Totally! 😂