Why Are There So Many Boxelder Bugs Around My Home?

Boxelder bug crawling on a rocky terrain - Keep Boxelder bugs away from your home with Griffin Pest Solutions

Boxelder bugs congregate near homes to stay warm, seek shelter, and remain close to food. They’re attracted to sunny, heat-reflecting surfaces like windows, concrete, and homes with southern or western exposure. Boxelders also tend to stay close to their food sources: acer trees such as boxelder, maple, and ash trees.

If you feel like you’re seeing boxelders constantly this summer, it’s probably not just you. Boxelder bugs really are more attracted to some homes than others. Unfortunately, the more attracted boxelders are to your home, the more likely you’ll have to deal with them all year. Unless you do something about it! Here’s what you should know about the boxelders attracted to your home, including how to keep them away. 

What are boxelder bugs?

Boxelder bugs, or Boisea trivittata, are a species of true bug native to North America. They’re ½” long with black bodies, dark red eyes, and distinctive red markings on their abdomens and wings. Seeds from trees in the acer genus, including maple, ash, and boxelder trees are boxelder bug’s primary food source.

Boxelder bugs are considered “nuisance pests” because they’re not dangerous and can’t inflict serious damage to the plants they feed on. Boxelder bugs typically annoy or disturb homeowners by congregating near or on homes in large numbers. They may also secrete a foul-smelling, yellowish liquid when frightened or crushed. If they secrete a large amount of this liquid, it could stain nearby surfaces. 

Boxelder seeds on a boxelder tree

Why are boxelder bugs here now?

Starting in mid-spring, boxelder bugs re-emerge from their overwintering sites. Boxelder bugs are very temperature sensitive, and upon awakening, they’re usually lethargic and cold. To order to warm themselves up and regain their energy, boxelders seek out heat-reflective surfaces. During spring, you may see large concentrations of boxelders congregating around sunny places such as windows or porches.

By summer, boxelders are seeking mates and food. To find both, they’ll seek out other boxelders around food sources such as acer trees. When boxelders congregate, they release a pheromone that attracts more boxelders to their location. These boxelders eat, mate, and lay eggs on or near their food sources.

What do boxelder bugs want?

During the summer, boxelder bugs are primarily looking for mates and food. They’ll typically leave their usual sunning places in favor of food sources. During summer, you may find congregations of boxelder bugs clustered around the lower trunks of acer trees. These bugs feed on the seeds falling from the branches and lay eggs on the trunk and leaves.

Boxelders are slightly less common around homes during the summer, but they’re not unheard of. You may continue to see boxelder congregations around your home all summer, especially if there are acer trees nearby. Boxelders also like to sun themselves to warm back up after cloudy weather or rainfall. The more you see boxelders during summer, the more likely they’ll attempt to overwinter near you in fall.

Boxelder bug on a hardwood floor

Why are boxelder bugs around my home?

If you’re seeing boxelders around your home constantly, it’s probably because they’re getting food nearby. Boxelders feed almost exclusively on the seeds of boxelder, maple, and ash trees. Once they find a good food source, they’ll spend all summer feeding off of it and mating nearby. Boxelders lay eggs near food sources, usually on trunks, branches, and leaves.

Boxelder bugs are also naturally attracted to warm, sheltered areas, which may bring them closer to you. Homes with southern or western exposure tend to deal with more boxelders than most, because the sun shines on those homes longer every day. Tall buildings and structures with many large glass windows also tend to attract boxelders. If you find boxelders near your home, you’ll probably see them on garden level windows, porches, decks, or sidewalks.

What can I do about all of these boxelders?

The most effective way to avoid dealing with boxelders is to remove the boxelder tree from your property. You probably don’t want to do that, however, so follow these alternative tips instead. First, don’t crush the boxelders you find. Smashing the bugs will only release the foul-smelling liquid they also release when threatened. This liquid contains pheromones other boxelders find attractive. In other words, killing boxelders will only attract more boxelders to you.

Instead of killing them, vacuum up the boxelders you find and throw out the bag when you’re finished. Wipe down the surfaces where boxelders congregate with soapy water to remove the pheromone they secrete. Mow your lawn frequently to pick up fallen acer seeds as much as possible and deprive the bugs of their food source. To prepare for fall, you should also look for signs of gaps or cracks near areas where the bugs congregate. Patch up any gaps you find with weatherproofing or caulk.

 

If you’ve tried all of this and still have a boxelder bug problem, don’t give up hope! You can always get in touch with Griffin Pest Solutions. Our experts have the tools and know how to remove your boxelder problem this summer… before they move in with you this fall!

Michigan’s Summer Bug Blues

If summer ever feels too good to be true, then consider summer bugs the catch. All kinds of bugs naturally grow and thrive in the heat and abundance. Add Michigan’s seasonal humidity to that mix, and you have a pest paradise. Paradise for these pests, specifically.

These are four of the pests that Michigan will have the most trouble with this summer. Here’s why these pests love summer, what they’re up to, and how to keep them away from you.

Mosquitoes

mosquitoesWhen you think “summer bugs,” you almost certainly think of mosquitoes first and foremost. It’s not hard to understand why. There are over fifty mosquito species in Michigan, and they’re more-or-less all very active in summer. Lucky us. Some mosquito species start reproducing in spring. They lay eggs in puddles and other sources of “spring water” left behind by melting snow and rainfall. In general, the more standing water they have access to, the greater the mosquito population will be in summer.

Unfortunately, many mosquito species don’t stop reproducing in summer. Mosquito larvae grow faster in hot weather, so they’ll mature quickly, reproduce, and begin the cycle yet again. Mosquitoes thrive during hot, humid, and wet summers. You can’t really keep mosquitoes from thriving, but you can keep them away from you. Clean up sources of standing water near or inside your home. Make sure your window screens and frames seat properly. Address sources of excess humidity such as plumbing leaks or drafts.

Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetlesJapanese beetles are an invasive species that can inflict serious damage on lawns, turf, and ornamental plants. Their grubs feed on the roots of grass, and adults eat foliage. Both grub and adult feeding habits may interfere with your plant’s ability to withstand the hot weather of summer. Larval Japanese beetles hibernate underground during winter. During spring, they begin eating roots until they store enough energy to pupate. By late June or early July pupation completes and the beetles emerge from the ground as adults.

Adult Japanese beetles are a particular problem for a couple reasons. First, they often skeletonize the foliage of the plants they feed on. Next, they produce a pheromone that attracts other beetles to plants. They also tend to reproduce and lay eggs near where they eat. That means if you have beetles this year, you’ll probably have them next year, too. If you see beetles on your plants this summer, spray them with soapy water to scare them off. The soap will also counteract the pheromone, so new beetles won’t replace the ones you sprayed away.

Wasps

waspsWasp queens become active in late spring, when temperatures rise to a consistently hospitable temperature. During early-to-mid summer, wasps largely remain near their nests. Workers leave to hunt for food every day to bring food back to support wasp larvae. Wasps are highly defensive of their nests while larvae develop inside them. The majority of wasp stings in mid summer occur when people accidentally disturb a nest.

By late summer, wasp queens will finish laying eggs, and the colony’s behavior will change. The year’s final brood grow into the next generation of wasp kings and queens. Once they leave the nest, the workers no longer have to worry about feeding and fostering young. Instead, they range further and spend their time hunting and eating. They tend to sting more people during this stage, especially if people startle them near their food. If you you have a wasp’s nest on your property, have a professional remove it as soon as possible.

Flies

House fliesSeveral types of common flies thrive and proliferate in summer. These flies are sometimes called “filth flies,” because they’re attracted to rotting garbage and waste. Filth flies like the house fly seem so abundant in summer because they spend the whole season reproducing. These flies complete their entire life cycle in only seven to 14 days. A single summer season may see literally hundreds of generations of filth flies born.

Fly infestations begin when flies find a place to lay their eggs indoors. House flies lay batches of 75 to 100 eggs at a time. Flies look for secluded, dirty places to lay their eggs. Usually, they find garbage, either in the dumpster or in cans. They may also infest clogged garbage disposals. Make sure your garbage is as sanitary and inaccessible as possible. Keep all garbage in sealable plastic bags, preferably inside sealed bins. Take garbage out to your dumpster frequently. Don’t let garbage pile up, either inside or in your dumpster.

 

No matter how inescapable they seem, you shouldn’t have to suffer bugs like these this summer. Following these steps will help you protect yourself from summer bugs, no matter how many assail you.

If you do end up with a summer bug infestation, however, remember that you always have help in Griffin Pest Solutions. No matter how entrenched or expansive the bug invasion, we’ll wipe it out quickly and effectively. We want to help you enjoy a bug-free summer!