<p>So... I have a moderate phobia of bugs. It impacts my life more than I'd like, although I'm trying to manage it--but one area it has affected, unconsciously, is the college search. I read on a rival website a review complaining about "ladybug season," aka swarms of ladybugs getting into one's room through the window... maybe just a hassle to some people, but the thought of that brings me halfway to a panic attack. I'm not completely sold on Smith because of the gender thing (...long story, irrelevant here), but this particular anecdote makes my subconscious say NO. I recognize that the repulsion is irrational, but would like to solicit opinions from the many parents and students here on the possibility of such incidents.</p>
<p>Well, I’ll admit that I haven’t spent much time in the Five College area, but from my observations/research, it seems as though the climate there is very similar to home. In comparison to the rest of the country, we have very few bugs–I think it’s the cold winters that do it. I really would not worry about this too much; I seriously doubt the existence of any huge swarms of ladybugs, and even if there were, there is a reason for having screens on windows. :)</p>
<p>You make a good, logical point, Cygne. Now I just have to convince myself of that…</p>
<p>I think mosquitos in the summer or late Spring are the worst problems I’m aware of as far as bugs go.</p>
<p>Actually, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one of my friends has had a ladybug attack. As far as I know, she’s the only one, so take that as you will.</p>
<p>^ Thank you. This is something that would be so easy to sugarcoat, but it really is a deal-breaker for me. I like Smith a lot, but there are other “cons” and this particular one, I just can’t handle at this point in my life.</p>
<p>Now I’m wondering about Amherst, which is in the same general vicinity.</p>
<p>Amherst would probably have the same bug situation as Smith…As a side note, I was deciding between Amherst and Smith, and the two schools are <em>very</em> different. An overnight visit at each college made it abundantly clear which one was right for me.</p>
<p>Understandable. There are many fabulous schools to choose from, and I wish you the best of luck in finding one that suits you!</p>
<p>I would ditto Cygne regarding Amherst…from what I can tell, we’re not far enough away from each other to have drastically different outdoor environments.</p>
<p>My D was somewhat averse to squirrels, having been imprinted as a 5-year-old by a teacher’s aide to stay away from squirrels because they could bear disease (rabies). Smith cured her of that aversion.</p>
<p>Memo to self: add “squirrel tolerant” to the minimal requirements for attending Smith.</p>
<p>More Amherst bugs would be male. Wait! Male bugs would more likely be attracted to females! Wait, wait!! The bugs in the Pioneer Valley are more likely to be gay! Wait, wait, wait! They are attack bugs, not love bugs!</p>
<p>Oh, forget it…</p>
<p>Squirrels are fine. Rats are fine, even!</p>
<p>Sigh. Well, my parents did want me to cut down my list. (This, of course, just means that I get to agonize over other possible adds. How fun! No, really, I love agonizing over college, else why would I be on CC.)</p>
<p>Um, I live in the general area, and “swarms of ladybugs” is a bit misleading. My grandparents live in an old colonial and used to get them really badly–but that just meant you could always find them on the windows and such. And besides, as far as bugs go, ladybugs are pretty excellent–not too creepy-crawly and easy to get rid of. :] </p>
<p>I would definitely agree with TD about the mosquitoes…</p>
<p>Honestly, if you want to avoid bugs entirely, you’d have to go somewhere REALLY cold and dry…in comparison to the rest of the country, the Five College area is not that bad.</p>
<p>As a Central Mass. resident, I believe these “swarms of ladybugs” are cyclical. I’ve heard of these bugs referred to as pumpkin bugs, not ladybugs, and as I recall there was an infestation, about 1-1/2 years ago, in the fall. We just used the vacuum cleaner to get rid of them; it was easy. I just Googled and found the following snippet (I don’t feel like paying for the whole article, so this is all you get):</p>
<p>In an April 20, 1997, Boston Globe article, "Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home,</p>
<p>And keep the heck out of my house.</p>
<p>This is the refrain of many New England residents who have been inundated by ladybugs, or small beetles that look like the ladybug of the nursery rhyme. Dozens, even hundreds, of the beetles have invaded houses, sometimes in attics but often in the house itself. What are they? Why are they in such great numbers and in my house? What can I do about them? Those are the questions asked by residents plagued by the critters. They are the multicolored Asian lady beetle, said Gary Couch, UMass extension entomologist. And if you have hundreds, you are not too badly off, because in some areas in the South, houses have been invaded by …"</p>
<p>So spring, 1997, and fall, 2007–you’re talking about a ten-year cycle. If you attend Smith, you might not even experience this phenomenon. I would think that the bugs aren’t any worse in Massachusetts than in places in the South, as the article mentions. I see you live in Delaware. Does Delaware get them as well? I hate to say it, but there are going to be bugs anywhere you go, even in Alaska. I know that phobias are irrational and I don’t want to discount their potency, but given bug omnipresence, would you rule out a school because some rival website forum mentions “ladybug season” (unless you want to rule it out anyway)? :-)</p>
<p>We mostly just have mosquitos in the warm weather–thank heavens for screens! :-)</p>
<p>Good luck whittling down your college list!</p>
<p>^ I was discounting it based on the rival forum, but see post #5 in this thread. And, honestly, I’d rather turn into a popsicle in the winter than find ladybugs on the windowsill every day in the springtime. Seems like the cold places have LESS bugs, at least.</p>
<p>Delaware doesn’t get Asian lady beetles, that I know of; we have more issues with stink bugs–but those are usually easy enough to keep outside a single room, because they’re large enough not to fit through little cracks.</p>
<p>CarolynB, here in our area in Delaware, we periodocally have lady bugs, stink bugs (that find their way inside), box eldar beatles and yesterday, I killed the first mosquito that I’ve seen in quite awhile (gnats ,yes…mosquitos,no.) It’s early for mosquitos…I hope this doesn’t mean a bad summer. Screens are great, but some lil buggies seem to find their way in somehow.</p>
<p>Keilexandra, I wish you the best in your college search.</p>
<p>^ Oooh, you’re in Delaware too? Whereabouts? I’m in Pike Creek.</p>
<p>A quick google search reported lady bug infestations in Wisconsin and San Francisco. I think it isn’t very practical to rule out colleges based solely on anecdotal evidence regarding bugs, but I wish you the best in your search.</p>
<p>I mean, I’m afraid of bees, but I’m not moving just because my landlady has a flower garden. I guess I shouldn’t mention the times I found bees in my bathroom at Smith, either…</p>
<p>^ Nope, not practical or rational at all. Please see definition of “phobia.”</p>
<p>Hi Keilexandra,
We’re in Brandywine Hundred.</p>