A Nuisance Pest, but not harmful
Box Elder Bugs cause concern when they gather in considerable numbers
on the warm outside walls of homes and sometimes find their way into
houses looking for a suitable place to over winter.
When they gain entry to buildings through cracks or other openings they
remain in wall cavities and will occasionally emerge inside the home in
the spring. They will not breed indoors, so there is no danger of
starting an “infestation”.
They cause no structural damage whatsoever but they can “spot” interior
furnishings with their droppings. They can't bite, they don't eat
anything on the inside of your house, including house plants, and they
won't harm you, your family or your pets.
Identification
This bug is about 1/2 inch long and 1/3 as wide. It is black with three
red lines on the thorax, a red line along each side, and a red line on
each wing. The wings lie flat on the back when at rest.
Life Cycle:
The adult bugs lay eggs on the host trees in the spring and the nymphs
emerge in a few days. The nymphs are small and show more red than
adults. These nymphs develop into adults during the summer, then mate
and lay eggs which hatch into the nymphs of the second generation. In
the summer Box elder bugs normally feed on the leaves, flowers, and
seed pods of the boxelder tree or silver maple. The bugs cause little
damage to trees. Activity of nearly fully grown nymphs is noticed in
August and September when they gather in large numbers on the trunks of
box elder trees. The migration of the adults begins at this time.
Prevention and control:
Control can best be obtained by spraying the nymphs on the host trees
before the adults have had a chance to migrate, or treating the
infested structure itself. Power spray equipment is usually required
and a professional should be hired to do the job safely.
Box Elder Bugs