Box Elder Bugs

Box elder bugs feed almost exclusively on box elders, although they will also migrate to ash or maple trees. They have also been known to inhabit fruit trees. While their feeding and breeding may produce minor problems with leaves and fruit, they are not usually extremely destructive. The problem with your plants is if you have an unusually heavy infestation of box elder bugs, which can ruin a fruit crop and make your tree foliage ugly.

The box elder bug does not bite. When it migrates in the winter, it will seek safety in homes, which is another reason for year round pest control. Its feces will stain light colored surfaces, and when smashed, the bug smells terrible. The recommended way of dealing with the bugs is to vacuum them up and discard the bag. Some say to put the bag in the freezer to kill the bugs before discarding the bag.

They can gain entrance to your home through light fixtures, outdoor faucets, via dryer and soffit vents, and through doors and windows. To protect against the box elder bug, you need to caulk any cracks in siding, soffits, and eaves. Screens on the windows will help to keep them out, as will weather stripping around doors.

These bugs can be drowned easily, and sometimes you can get rid of them by washing the outside of your home.

For pest control and box elder but treatment, call All Solutions Pest Control for an appointment.