And,

there it was, clinging to my screen door.

I almost missed it, because it was close to the bottom, and had I not been checking out the fallen leaves, and thinking about sweeping them up I probably would not have been looking down at all.

Yep, there it was just hanging out and hanging on....my shield bug.  I'm guessing it was there because I had the inside door open and heat was probably escaping from the house.

I stood there for a moment.  Should I leave it alone, or bring it into the house?  My first thought was to leave it alone, since I've been learning more about this insect, and I have heard it is becoming a real problem for farmers crops.  Maybe I should simply let nature do what nature does.

Nope, couldn't do that.  So, I tried to remove the shield bug from the screen, but it's tiny feet were tightly attached to it, and while prying it loose, it fell to the concrete patio...onto it's back...oh, I could not believe the speed of its legs, violently moving, convulsing, in an attempt to turn itself over.  To my amazement, in a second it had righted itself. 

Before it could regain its senses, I grabbed it again, this time with a firmer grip, slid open my sliding screen door and tried to put it on a plant I'd just moved indoors a few days earlier.  This time I let go of it too soon and it fell to the floor of the morning room.  At least this time it landed right side up.  I decided I had cause this poor creature enough trouble for today and walked away hoping in time it would find a place to settle in for the winter. 

Later when I went to check on it, I could not find it anywhere.  I'm hoping it's okay.

Not long ago I went out and finally swept up the leaves.  As I was closing the screen door I saw two shield bugs clinging to it.  Uh-oh...that was certainly unexpected.  Saving one shield bug from winter's cold is one thing...but to start a colony, well, that's another matter all together.  Now, whether one of the two bugs was the one I brought into the house this morning, I don't know, and I'm not going to take a chance it was, or wasn't; heaven only knows I don't need two shield bugs in the house and I also don't want to have shield bug babies running all about.

Speaking of babies, what is it with all the tiny spiders I've been finding in nooks and crannies of my house.  Why are they not outside?  Caterpillars are supposed to be indicators of bad winters, so I'm not quite sure what all the baby spiders are trying to tell me.  Hmmm?  I know shield bugs like green beans, I wonder if they are meat eaters, too.