不速之客

字幕原文

Every fall, when the air turns cold, many people get visitors — uninvited ones. 每年秋天，当天气变冷时，许多人都会迎来不速之客。

They don't knock. 它们不会敲门。

They slip right into your house, 它们会直接溜进你的房子，

dressed for the season in coats of orange with little black dots: 穿着应季的橙色外套，上面点缀着小黑点：

Asian lady beetles. 亚洲瓢虫。

They are a mixed blessing. 它们是喜忧参半的存在。

Outdoors, they are wonderful — a single beetle can eat hundreds of plant pests a day. 在户外，它们非常棒——一只瓢虫一天能吃掉数百只植物害虫。

The trouble is that when it gets cold, 问题是，当天气变冷时，

they like to spend the winter indoors, 它们喜欢在室内过冬，

sometimes in large numbers. 有时数量还很多。

They won't damage your home or furniture; they don't chew or bore or lay eggs inside. 它们不会损坏你的房屋或家具；它们不会啃咬、钻洞或在里面产卵。

But squash one, and it releases a smelly yellow fluid that can stain. 但如果你压扁一只，它会释放出一种有臭味的黄色液体，可能会留下污渍。

They are drawn to light-colored houses, slipping in through tiny cracks. 它们会被浅色房屋吸引，通过微小的裂缝溜进来。

The best defense is simple: 最好的防御方法很简单：

seal up those cracks before the cold arrives — 在寒冷到来之前堵住那些裂缝——

which also keeps out other pests 这也能防止其他害虫进入

and saves on heating. 并节省取暖费。

If they do get in, just sweep or vacuum them away. 如果它们真的进来了，只需扫走或用吸尘器吸走即可。

There is something almost fitting about it. 这其中似乎有些恰如其分之处。

The very same little beetle 恰恰是那只小小的瓢虫，

that guards your garden all summer 整个夏天都在守护你的花园，

just wants to share your warmth come winter. 到了冬天，它只是想分享你的温暖。

As houseguests go, you could do far worse. 作为房客，它们已经算不错的了。