Beautiful Bugs...

We went out to Tad's Chicken And Dumplings. It is a resteraunt that has been along the Sandy River, on the way out to Columbia Gorge for decades. Nice little place with good food. If you go there though, make sure that you are careful with your leftovers. They put the fried chicken into paper bags which seem to have a tendance to fall apart with the grease and weight.

Anyhow, while waiting for our table, we hung out in the front. Emma say these beetles that I thought were pretty, so I started taking pictures. I've seen these bugs around many times before, so I thought I should not have too much trouble finding them on the net. It took nearly 15 minutes to get a match on them (near the bottom). Then for confirmation, I searched on Western Box-elder Bugs and found a better picture and some good information about them.

I still think they are pretty, they don't really cause much damage, unless they poop on your fabrics. They also stink when you crush them, apparently. I had no reason to crush any, so I don't know what the smell is like. They will feed on certain woods, includgin box elder, ash or maple, but don't seem to damage them much. They can be a neusance, but I don't see much reason to get rid of them, unless you are bug-a-phobic.