Boxelder Bugs

Just like the picture above, boxelder bugs are mostly brownish-back with red outline-like lines along their back. They have red eyes. They grow to be about a half-inch long, with flattened bodies, though the nymphs are much smaller, only about one-sixteenth of an inch when hatching. Nymphs hatch entirely red, only gaining the black as they grow. They also form wings as they get older. Boxelder bugs live for about a year, generally preferring areas with a lot of vegetation. They feed mainly on trees outdoors from spring emergence through early fall. Once the colder weather begins, boxelder bugs will start to gather on sunny, warms parts of buildings, looking for a good place to hibernate over the winter. 

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Boxelder bugs are almost never alone. If you found one, there are more somewhere nearby. In addition to being hard to eradicate, they will leave evidence of their presence that might be difficult to get rid of. You'll find brown stains from their feces on carpets, rugs, curtains, and windowsills. Boxelder bugs do feed on plants and trees, but will likely only cause minor damage to your vegetation. However, if you find boxelder bugs on your property, be prepared that squishing them will cause a bad stench. Like stinkbugs, boxelder bugs will give off a foul smell if you try to kill them.

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For even more information on boxelder bugs, check out our blog post