Last fall our school was invaded by orange and black flying bugs that we could not identify. They were everywhere! They were in the halls, on the stairs, on the walls and even in our desks! All of the kids and all of the teachers and even the principal wanted to know why this bug was invading our school.

Some people said that it was a maple bug, other people said that they thought it was a potato bug. Mrs. Smith thought that it was a beetle, not a bug, but she wasn't sure. Were these bugs looking for something to eat or for a warm place to hide for the winter?

Come to think of it, we had a lot of other questions about bugs too. Luckily, Doc Larson was willing to help us out!

Mr. Procter finds a bug in the hallway. Mrs. Saar places the bug in the specimen jar, and everyone takes a turn examining it. Sure enough, "it is a true bug - Order Hemiptera" says our bug expert. We finally solved the mystery. It is the box elder bug, also called the Maple Bug (because it feeds primarily on the Manitoba Maple seed). Our bug expert says it is Boisea trivittatus and to watch for it "because it just might land in your mashed potatoes at Christmas dinner!"