Yes. Indoor boxelder bugs can leave small dark fecal spots that may stain light-colored walls, curtains, windows, and fabrics.
One of the most frustrating things about having boxelder bugs take over your home in the winter is that they stain surfaces. These dark orange or reddish-brown or sometimes yellowish or gray stains are fecal spots. It’s unsightly and annoying.
Boxelder bugs usually enter homes in the fall. Your best bet is to try to keep them from entering in the first place. To do this, it helps to know that they mass on warm, sunlit walls in great numbers in the fall. They do this often following the end of a cold snap because it gives them the signal that winter is coming and they need to take action. They seek out warmth on your walls and then start looking for ways inside through small exterior gaps. Once inside, they can stay largely dormant in wall voids and attics.
Warm winter days may cause these insects to mistakenly believe spring is on the way. That leads them to gather on windows and other surfaces. This is when stains are likely to happen. Crushing insects can make this problem worse, so if you can, carefully remove them by vacuuming them or scooping them off into a dish with soap and water in it.
As for helping prevent their intrusion in the first place, it helps to inspect screens, window and door frames, siding transitions, vents, soffits, and utility lines. Replace worn weatherstripping, caulk gaps that you find, and replace any worn vents or screens. This can make it harder for them to get in.
If boxelder bugs are becoming a problem around your North Central Minnesota property, Mosquito Squad of North Central Minnesota can help with pest control around the property. Call (218) 304-7704 or request a free quote online.
