Boxelder Bug Identification & Prevention

Adult boxelder bugs are oval, somewhat flattened, and grow to about half an inch in length. They have a black body with reddish-orange markings along the edges of the front wings. Another important physical feature is their piercing, sucking mouthparts they use to suck sap from the leaves and seeds of their host trees.

These pests are often referred to as occasional invaders. While they spend the majority of their lives outside, they will occasionally use our homes and other manmade structures as a place of shelter.

Boxelder bugs are not dangerous, but they are problematic and annoying. These pests swarm their host trees, crawling over them in large numbers and using them as a food source. The good news is that even in big numbers, boxelder bugs don’t cause lasting damage to healthy trees. More good news is that they don’t bite, sting, or otherwise harm people.

Boxelder bugs inside our homes are annoying because they invade in difficult-to-manage numbers. As they crawl over surfaces, they will stain walls and upholstery with their excrement, and when crushed, they emit a foul, unpleasant odor.

While boxelder bugs are not dangerous, whenever you are given the option, you should always choose not to share your home with these pests!

Any property housing host trees of the boxelder bug are at risk of becoming a place where boxelder bugs settle. While boxelder bugs spend most of their time outside, when the weather cools down in the late fall, they migrate to the warm sunny exteriors of homes and other buildings. As they move across the windows, siding, and shingles, they move inside through small openings they come across. These insects like to use warm, dry spaces in our homes as safe places to overwinter. They travel back through your home and outside in the spring.

The boxelder bug’s name helps to describe where you will find these pests. You will spot boxelder bugs on their host trees during the spring, summer, and early fall months. They use their specialized mouthparts to feed on the saps and other liquids from a tree’s leaves, stems, and seeds. Some of their most preferred host trees include boxelder, maple, ash, and various fruit trees.

Boxelder bugs in houses like to gather in dark, quiet spaces like attics, wall voids, and crawl spaces.

Stopping boxelder bugs before they get into your home is key. To prevent a boxelder bug infestation in your home, contact us at First Choice Pest Control. Through our variety of pest control options, we will provide a barrier of protection against boxelder bugs and other common household pests. Call today to learn about our various home pest control programs and which best fits the needs of your property. Let us worry about your pests so you can focus on what's important in life!

The following tips will help prevent boxelder bugs from easily entering your Brighton home:

• If you have maple, ash, or boxelder trees on your property, trim them away from your home.
• Don’t plant new host trees close to your home.
• Seal cracks in your home’s foundation.
• Use door sweeps to fill in gaps under exterior doors.
• Place mesh screens over vents and caps on chimneys. 

Call us today for the professional boxelder bug and commercial pest control needed to keep these pests out of your home.