Boxelder Bug Facts & Information

Protect your home or business from boxelder bugs by learning techniques for identification and control.

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Boxelder Bug Treatment

How to get rid of boxelder bugs?

What You Can Do

To stop boxelder bugs from multiplying, it is often helpful to remove their host trees from the area surrounding your home, but the adults can still fly to locations off of the property.

If you choose to plant boxelder trees in your yard, choose male trees (non-seed-bearing) since female trees are more susceptible to infestation. These trees are not recommended for ornamental planting.

How Orkin Can Help Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs

In some homes, chemical product treatments might be necessary. Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage boxelder bugs and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique program for your situation.

Orkin can provide the right solution to keep boxelder bugs in their place and out of your home or business.

Call us866-957-6989

 FAQs

  • Boxelder bugs are attracted to cool temperatures and warm sunny side houses. They cluster in warm areas on siding and roofs to make their way indoors. Once inside, they hibernate through fall and winter.

    During the fall, these pests may enter homes and buildings through:

    • Cracks in window frames

    • Gaps and crevices

    • Tears in screen doors

  • Like many overwintering pests, the most startling signs are when they invade in staggering numbers. Some other signs of infestation from boxelder bugs include:

    • Buzzing sounds

    • Dropping stains

    • Odor released when crushed

  • Several predators prey on boxelder bugs, helping to keep their populations in check. These include:

    While these predators can help control boxelder bug populations, they aren't always effective in eliminating large infestations.

  • Boxelder bugs pose no harm to humans or pets, as they are neither poisonous nor do they bite or spread disease. They do not cause damage to buildings, but they extract juices that cause minimal to sustainable damage to their host trees.

  • Boxelder bugs are not typically considered invasive, as they are native to North America. However, they can become a nuisance, especially during the fall and winter when they seek shelter in homes.

Behavior, Diet & Habits

Understanding Boxelder Bugs?

What do boxelder bugs look like?

  • Size: These bugs measure between 11 to 14 mm long.

  • Color: Boxelder bugs are black in color and have red lines along the thorax sides. Their wings are flat and red in color.

Boxelder Bug Habitat

Their presence is bothersome due to the scent they emit when crushed and their tendency to fly around living spaces. They may emerge from walls when heat sources within the building are high and they can be located in the warmest areas of a structure’s walls.

Boxelder bugs do not nest indoors year-round. While overwintering, they do not feed or reproduce. During warmer seasons, they make their homes in boxelder maple and ash trees.

Boxelder Bug Dropping Stains

Their droppings are unsightly and leave difficult stains to remove on:

  • Curtains

  • Furniture

  • Linen

  • Walls

What do boxelder bugs eat?

These bugs feed on soft parts of boxelder trees including:

  • Flowers

  • Juice from host trees

  • Leaves

  • Twigs

Boxelder Bug Life Cycle

Life Stages

Adult boxelder bugs live and breed on leaves of boxelder trees.

Boxelder Bug Eggs

These bugs prefer to lay their eggs in these trees during spring. Their eggs are reddish brown in color, allowing them to stay well hidden in the bark of the host tree.

Boxelder Bug Nymphs

After a few days, the eggs hatch into red and gray nymphs, which eventually mature and begin the breeding process again.

Boxelder Bug Adults

Mature boxelder bugs can be found gathering in large numbers on branches and boughs. Concentrations will be heaviest in areas receiving sufficient sunlight.