Boxelder Bug Control

As the name implies, these pests usually feed on the seeds of boxelder trees but will also target maple and ash. If you are in need of boxelder bug control, Braman can help you through a combination of treatment and preventative measures.

While originally native to the western United States, boxelder bugs now make themselves at home in New England. They can grow to be about ½ of an inch long and have a very distinctive appearance of red and black markings. They feed, lay their eggs, and develop their young on trees, but the need for boxelder bug control comes when they branch out from these locations during colder weather to overwinter, or hibernate, in structures.

Are boxelder bugs harmful? The simple answer is no, they are primarily just a nuisance. They don’t breed indoors, they don’t bite or sting, they don’t cause structural damage and they are actually considered one of the less destructive pests.

They can, however, be a nuisance in your home as a source of filth and unpleasant odor. Boxelder bugs are known to release a foul-smelling and bitter-tasting compound to discourage predation. They can also enter a location with many of their own species which can consist of hundreds or even thousands of bugs. They can stain your furniture, walls or other surfaces with their excrement, which is why you may want to turn to a professional service such as Braman for boxelder bug removal.

Much like stink bugs, boxelder bugs will appear inside your building during the late summer and early fall when temperatures outside begin to cool down. They often enter buildings in New England to begin the overwintering process but can then become active again due to the warmer temperatures. While searching for a suitable location to shelter, boxelder bugs can fly up to two miles from their original location to find a warm home.

Boxelder bug prevention is similar to the methods for all other occasional invaders and includes sealing cracks around windows, doors, siding, utility pipes and chimneys. If you need help getting rid of boxelder bugs that have already invaded your home, you can start by isolating the affected areas and vacuuming to remove both the live and dead bugs. Similar to stink bugs, boxelder bugs will not reproduce inside your home, so the problem can be attacked by removing individual boxelder bugs in house or lawn areas.

Braman can also include targeted applications of insecticides if you have a larger problem. It is extremely important to have our professional assistance because we can apply barrier treatments to discourage migrating insects from moving indoors. If you contact Braman, we can help with a pre-treatment in the late summer or early fall to make sure these pests stay out of your building.