Tips to Help Prevent a Boxelder Bug Infestation
Use these tips to prevent boxelder bugs from getting into your house:
- Put door sweeps on your exterior doors.
- Seal cracks in the foundation and around windows and doors.
- Get a barrier treatment spray in your yard, especially during seasonal changes.
- Frequently trim maple, boxelder, ash, and fruit trees.
Preventative measures are always the best way to secure your space against pests. However, sometimes they find their way inside before you’ve dealt with the problem outside.
How to Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs
If there are boxelder bugs in your house, avoid crushing them and getting their smell and stains around your home. Instead, try these tips for boxelder bug removal:
- Spray dish soap mixed with water on warm and bright areas. The smell deters boxelder bugs, and the solution will kill existing bugs.
- Vacuum large groups of bugs. Empty your vacuum into the trash and remove the bug-filled debris from your home to avoid attracting more pests.
- Seal gaps in vents and exterior electrical outlets. Boxelder bugs may be attracted to these warm areas.
After removing boxelder bugs, we recommend cleaning your home to remove fecal matter and dead insects. Both can attract future infestations!
Outdoor Boxelder Bug Spray from Your Local Squad®
If you’ve noticed boxelder bugs on your trees or hiding under leaf and grass piles, it’s time to protect your yard and prevent the insects from coming inside. The best way to get rid of boxelder bugs is with professional treatment. A barrier treatment spray for boxelder bugs will help kill bugs on contact and continue to deter them for up to 21 days. Our professionals will strategically target areas around your yard and home where boxelder bugs thrive or may try to get inside.
Contact your local team at (877) 332-2239 or request a cost-free quote online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do boxelder bugs go in the winter?
During the fall and winter in colder seasonal climates, boxelder bugs prefer to get into hidden crevices underneath logs and stones or in the foundation of a home. If they can get past the foundation or through a gap in a door or window, they’ll make their way inside a house, where they hide in vents or other warm areas.
Read More: Boxelder Bugs: Nature’s Cold-Weather Intruders
Boxelder bugs are capable of biting, but they’re not known to bother or bite people and animals. They have a piercing mouthpart that can puncture the skin and leave a red spot. This mouthpart is typically meant for feeding on juices from plants and seeds.
Boxelder bugs are not considered harmful to humans or pets. They are not aggressive and generally don’t cause significant damage to plants or structures. However, they can become a nuisance when they gather in large numbers and stain surfaces with their excrement.
Boxelder bugs are typically found around boxelder trees and other maples. They are native to North America and are most commonly found in the western US but have been spotted in eastern states and some parts of Canada.