Insect Quiz March, 2006

March Quiz 2006

It is a nice sunny, late winter day and you are outdoors in your yard. The layer of snow that was around for much of the winter is melting. As you look around, you notice dozens of very small black specks at the base of one of your trees. They seem to be moving around and even jumping. As you look at them more closely, they seem to be tiny insects but the temperature is only 35 degrees!

1. What are these creatures?

2. Where did they come from?

3. Do they cause any injury to plants or property?

4. What should we do about them?