![]() During the spring, summer, and early fall months, these insects can be found outside using their specialized mouthparts to feed on the leaves, stems, and other parts of seed-bearing trees such as boxelder trees, maple trees, and ash trees along with apple, cherry, and plum trees. Instead, boxelder bugs are considered nuisance pests. They also develop three orange longitudinal stripes on their thorax and a reddish-orange abdomen.īoxelder bugs are not considered to be dangerous to people - they don’t bite or sting and aren’t known to cause any health consequences. As the nymphs mature into adults, they grow to about ½ an inch in length, develop wings that overlap into an "x-shape" when at rest, their oval-shaped bodies change from a bright red color to a dark brownish-black color, and their wings are outlined in a reddish-orange color. Young boxelder bugs look very similar to the adults but are wingless, bright red in color, and, of course, are much smaller in size. However, consider removing individual female boxelder trees that seem very attractive to boxelder bugs year after year if the bugs are an annual nuisance.Boxelder bugs in homes are often referred to as Halloween bugs due to their black and orange coloring. Adult boxelder bugs do fly and may invade homes after leaving a host tree some distance away. Boxelder bugs are not nuisance pests every year, and boxelder trees can be valued shade trees. Removing boxelder trees to avoid boxelder bugs is not necessary. See the current Pest Management Guide for Home Grounds and Animals for recommendations of registered insecticides for perimeter sprays or sprays applied to seedbearing boxelders. Perimeter sprays directed against boxelder bugs should be applied around the foundation of houses in mid to late August. Seed-bearing female boxelder trees and areas where the seeds collect can also be sprayed with registered insecticides when boxelder bugs are found on them. Alternatively, a strong jet of water from a hose will dislodge the boxelder bugs and may even kill them if forceful enough. Large aggregations of boxelder bugs can be treated with insecticidal soap as a contact spray when found. This also removes a potential food source for boxelder bugs emerging in the spring. Outdoors, rake and remove boxelder, maple, or ash seeds when boxelder bugs are present. A fly swatter works well, but the crushed bodies can stain surfaces and release objectionable odors. Empty the vacuum cleaner soon after use so the dead bugs do not begin to smell. Window and door screens should be in good repair.īoxelder bugs found indoors can be swept or vacuumed up. Make sure that weatherstripping creates a tight seal around doors and windows. Seal or screen any possible entrances through which boxelder bugs or other pests may enter the house. Check for cracks, holes, open vents, and gaps in the foundation, siding, and attic spaces. ![]() The best control measure to prevent boxelder bugs from invading homes is to limit the places where they can gain access indoors. However, boxelder bugs do not cause any structural damage or reproduce indoors and they are not biting insects. Most homeowners object to the presence of these insects as they can emit strong odors and their feces stain surfaces like walls, carpets, curtains, and upholstery. Boxelder bugs in unheated attics or wall spaces may survive the winter in these protected spaces, but boxelder bugs that make their way inside the living quarters of houses will die due to warmer temperatures and low humidity. If boxelder bugs can gain entrance, they will also invade houses, outbuilding, and other structures. ![]() They seek protective locations to overwinter under rocks, in wood piles, and inside piles of leaves and mulch.īoxelder bugs remain in these locations during the winter, but they may become briefly active on warm, sunny days. In late fall, boxelder bugs often congregate on the outside of southern or western facing buildings, rock outcrops, concrete walls, tree trunks, and similar sites with strong sun exposure in (Fig. They rarely damage trees, but many home owners consider their presence a nuisance when they are found in large numbers on and underneath host trees. Damageīoxelder bugs feed on leaves and seeds by removing plant fluids through their piercing-sucking mouthparts. Boxelder bugs overwinter as either nymphs or adults, but mostly adults survive. The second generation is usually larger than the first and attracts more attention from homeowners. Depending on the weather, there can be two generations a year in Virginia. The nymphs hatch and feed on old seeds and new foliage, developing into adults by midsummer. Mated females lay reddish-brown, bean-shaped eggs on host trees and old seeds on the ground. Adult boxelder bugs emerge from overwintering sites in spring when warmer temperatures arrive. Boxelder bugs have an incomplete life cycle of egg, nymphal, and adult stages.
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