LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) — A little bug is causing a big headache for many people in the Loveland area.

Neighbors say the elm seed bugs are arriving in droves and crawling inside unwanted spaces trying to escape the heat.

It’s not too late to forage wild asparagus in Colorado — here’s how

FOX31 took a deeper look to explain what this bug is and why they are exploding in numbers.

It has a lot to do with elm trees. The problem is that the bugs aren’t staying on the trees, they are getting out into people’s yards and inside businesses and homes.

“Definitely hundreds, probably thousands honestly, in one spot or the worst spot I have to clean up,” said Talia DeRaadt.

DeRaadt, store manager of Children’s Place at the Promenade Shopping Mall in Loveland had to sweep and vacuum hundreds of the bugs Friday afternoon.

“We’re in an outdoor mall so basically, they were all inside of our windows just like covering the glass, the floor,” she said. “We have like platform floors they were everywhere.”

She’s lived in Loveland most of her life.

“I never seen them in particular or a torrential amount of any kind of bug like that in general. So, it’s kind of bizarre and of course, we didn’t know what they were,” said DeRaadt.

Edible mushrooms you can find in Colorado

That was until the mall sent out this PSA:

“So, we would know they are not harmful, or anything like that for one, and how to deal with them, and basically, the heat basically created this massive amount to appear all at once,” DeRaadt said.

She told FOX31 that the bugs also affected businesses.

“I found out that multiple stores had to close. I’m assuming to get exterminators to come out,” she said. “Like checking somebody out there’s just one crawling on your register monitor and you’re like, sorry about that. There’s probably more stores than I knew about that probably lost a lot of business because of it. Probably for good reasons like sanitary and not sanitary reasons.”

That letter also referred tenants of the shopping center to CSU’s Extension Office.

The university’s website says the insects make themselves comfortable on the outside walls, doors and windows. They feed on seeds from trees like elm, linden, and oak.

When aggravated or touched, the bugs can give off a foul odor sometimes described as smelling like bitter almonds.

Photo: Mormon crickets take over the roadway near Meeker and Craig

Although they aren’t poisonous or aggressive, the fact that these elm seed bugs are moving into the area is bugging Loveland neighbors.

“Definitely kind of a weird experience. It was like in the Loveland area specifically. I’m on some local pages and there was a lot of people freaking out about them having them inside of their houses. So, I’m sure it was overwhelming for more than just businesses,” DeRaadt said.

According to the CSU Extension office, unlike boxelder bugs in the fall, “the elm seed bugs most often appear in homes from mid-June through September and may become active in homes.”

While a nuisance, there are ways of lowering the chances of having to deal with the pesky bugs.

CSU’s Extension Office says you should seal windows, doors and any cracks in your homes with a sealant.

Experts say to vacuum elm seed bugs found inside your home or business and clean your vacuum filters afterward.

You’re not advised to crush them because they can release a foul odor.

If they are really bad around where you live or work, consider getting rid of elm trees on the property.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.