ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Neighbors in the Northeast Heights are dealing with a big problem caused by a little bug. 

These bugs are more of a nuisance than anything else, but when they cover your home, keeping them out of your house becomes a priority.

“We walked out the front door and everything around the entrance was full of these bugs, these teeny tiny bugs,” said Cindy Johns, a northeast Heights resident. 

Those teeny tiny bugs are called chinch bugs – they tend to come out in hoards when the weather is hot and dry.

“It was crazy, they were totally covered up there, crawling all over the camera,” said Johns. 

Johns says there were millions of them on her house earlier this week, and she was not alone. When she posted a picture on Nextdoor, many of her neighbors chimed in saying they are having the same problem.

“You see ’em, there is a whole bunch of them there,” Johns said. 

The owner of Roadrunner Pest Management, Carlos Gutierrez, says while it’s hard to get rid of them entirely, there are things you can do to keep them at bay.

“Best advice is water. Water your yard, keep it watered at least for the next month and a half during the hottest time,” said Gutierrez. 

But he doesn’t suggest using pesticides on them.

“They didn’t even get effected much by the bug spray that my daughter came over and used, those are some hardy little critters,” said Johns. 

“I would say insecticides are the last resort just because you can interfere with other naturally predatory bugs that will naturally take care of chinch bugs in the area as well,” said Johns. 

A bit of patience also helps, a lot of the times these bugs go away on their own.

“We have been fortunate with the rain that should help ease any issues people are having,” said Gutierrez. 

Gutierrez adds while these bugs are annoying, they are harmless to both people and pets. Just make sure your doors and windows have good seals, so the chinch bugs stay outside.