Where do boxelder bugs live?

As the name suggests, boxelder bugs are quite fond of boxelder maple trees, which is — along with ash and fruit trees — where you’ll most commonly find them nesting in the year’s warmer months. 

During their overwintering period (a process similar to hibernation), boxelder bugs can be found under tree bark, under leaves, in between rocks, and other natural spaces where they can protect themselves from the elements. 

Why are there so many boxelder bugs on my house?

Boxelder bugs, like all insects, are cold blooded creatures that are incapable of regulating their body temperature. During the summer, they’re warm and comfortable. In winter, they’re overwintering and doing all they can to protect themselves from the cold. 

But in those months just after they’ve emerged from overwintering in the Spring, or in those months where they’re preparing to in the Fall, they will commonly gather on the west and south-facing sides of your home because those are the ones that get the most sunlight, and, naturally, the most warmth. 

How do boxelder bugs get into your house?

The most common reason boxelder bugs come into your home is because it is warm. It is typically not their intention to nest in your home, because their preference is to nest in the trees that they get their food from. 

Usually, if a swarm of boxelders are sunning themselves on the west or south side of your home, and they come across an entry point — say a crack in the siding or some other breech in your home you’re not aware of or haven’t gotten around to fixing yet — they’ll make their way inside the wall voids. 

This can be confusing for the boxelder. One, these bugs enter the home and don’t necessarily know how to get out and will quickly fill the voids in your walls. Secondly, it disrupts their seasonality, meaning that they can’t enter into the overwintering process. They won’t reproduce, but there is a small chance they could make their way into your living space when trying to exit the home.

Can boxelder bugs bite? Will boxelder bugs hurt you?

It is highly unlikely that you’ll ever be bitten by a boxelder bug. It is very rare. They are a nuisance pest, and are not known to hurt people. 

However, it is not completely out of the question that someone could be allergic to them, and in the instance an allergic flare up should occur, appropriate medical attention should be sought immediately. 

Will boxelder bugs go away on their own?

They will not just go away on their own. Boxelder bugs are seasonal pests, and will traditionally emerge from their overwintering phase in the spring, hatching new eggs and creating a new generation of pests. 

It is important to also note that boxelder bugs are flying insects, and will commonly fly in a two-mile radius from their nesting site in search of food. They can retain these flight patterns for long periods of time, reinforcing their consistent presence on your property.

Will boxelder bugs kill plants?

Boxelder bugs are not considered to be an agricultural pest. That is a title associated with pests like armyworms, locusts, stink bugs, and many others. 

Those pests are responsible for causing billions of dollars worth of agricultural damage every year, whereas the damage that boxelder bugs cause — mostly from sucking nutrients from their nesting sites — is largely cosmetic in nature. 

What do boxelder bugs look like?

On average, the fully mature boxelder bug is about one half-inch in length with bodies that are very dark brown to black in color. Their bodies also contain a fiery orange color that outlines the different sections of their bodies, antennae, and colors their round, bulbous eyes. 

When boxelder bugs hatch, the newly born bugs are entirely this fiery orange color, and as the boxelder bug matures its coloring (except for the parts mentioned above) will turn dark. 

Will boxelder bugs damage my home?

Unlike termites that can cause large-scale damage to a home, or to a lesser degree like the carpenter ant, boxelder bugs do not cause structural damage to homes.

Can I treat boxelder bugs on my own?

You can certainly try, but flying insects are particularly hard for the layperson to treat, which is why we recommend professional treatment by experts with commercial grade products, equipment, and insight as to how to most effectively face these pests. 

Why is Aspen the best choice for my pest control needs?

Despite how difficult it can be to eradicate flying insects like boxelder bugs, the majority of our customers note a drastic difference in the number of boxelders after a single treatment by one of our technicians. 

We’ll give your home and yard a thorough examination and apply treatments with the goal of disrupting the bugs’ flight patterns and making your property a less desirable place to nest. 
Ready for pest control professionals who truly care about you getting the service you deserve? Then contact Aspen TODAY for your FREE quote!