From KESQ
September 9, 2019
COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. – Have you noticed an invasion of little, flying, black bugs over the last few weeks?
Experts say they’re called Charcoal Seed Bugs — and they’re nothing to worry about.
We’re seeing higher populations than normal due to the high amount of rain seen in the valley this year. The bugs feed on plants and seeds — so more rain means more food for them to eat.
They don’t bite, but tourists and business owners say they can be a nuisance, swarming storefronts in downtown Palm Springs, swimming pools and even the airport.
For Bill Lewis, a sales associate at the shop Only in Palm Springs, clearing the seed bugs out has become a daily routine.
“We have to sweep the store 2-3 times a day because they get stepped on and then their corpses are just everywhere and it’s disgusting,” Lewis said.