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How To Get Rid Of Boxelder Bugs And Keep Them From Coming Back
Southern Living • • science
Key Points:
- Boxelder bugs, native to the U.S. and relatives of stink bugs, often become a nuisance in the fall by aggregating in large numbers around homes and yards.
- They primarily feed on boxelder seeds but may also consume foliage from maples, ash, buckeye, spirea, and fruit trees, causing little to no significant plant damage and do not bite humans.
- These bugs seek shelter indoors as temperatures drop, especially on sunny southern or western-facing surfaces, and can enter homes through cracks and crevices, where they eventually die but leave behind staining feces.
- Adult boxelder bugs overwinter outdoors in protected areas like wood piles and leaf litter, while nymphs usually perish at the first freeze; adults sometimes emerge on warm winter days.
- Preventing indoor infestations is key, with recommendations focusing on sealing entry points and reducing outdoor habitats to keep boxelder bugs and other insects outside.
