This article is about BOXELDER BUG control.
It will explain why they are a pest and what
needs to be done for controlling infestations.
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BOXELDER BUG CONTROL
Boxelder bugs are generally black and red
and have been identified in most states of the
Union. Although other insects closely related to
Boxelders look like them including the milkweed
bug, none are likely to congregate in huge numbers
like boxelder bugs. Members of this insect family
feed on woody plants and herbs. The boxelder bug
got it's name because it was found to infest
boxelder trees. These trees were planted in the
west as settlers wanted quick growing shade trees.
The availability of the vast numbers of boxelder
trees allowed the boxelder bug to flourish. It now
infests many other species of trees including
maples, apple and almond. It seems to like several
types of dead insects and fruit as well.
Boxelder bugs become a problem when they move
into your yard or home. Once they begin to infest
a tree, their population will grow from year to
year. You will notice them congregating in massive
numbers on the tree bark, limbs and the immediate
ground around the tree. This congregation will
occur in the spring and then again in the fall.
In the spring, the boxelder emerges from its
winter hibernation looking for a tree or plant
that will supply food for the season. Young
hatch in early summer and grow like roaches; they
develop by instars. This means they go through
several stages which resemble adults but will be
smaller in size. As they molt and begin a new
instar, they will become more and more like their
reproducing parents. In the fall, they will seek
the south or warm side of the tree or plant they
have been feeding on throughout the summer. As
it cools more, boxelder bugs will take up residence
in nearby homes and structures. Since they over-
winter and do not die from year to year, a population
can reach huge numbers. This "colony" will readily
infest the same area from year to year once a
successful winter shelter has been found. Some
will migrate onto your home and ultimately lead to
them getting inside. Besides the damage to leaves,
fruit and trees around the home, if they are allowed
to infest your house they will end up invading
relentlessly. Expect to have them climbing walls,
clinging to curtains and buzzing around lights and
ceilings throughout the winter. Since your home is
heated, they don't need to "sleep" through the cold.
Instead, they will forage around inside causing
discomfort and being a nuisance until the spring.
Here is a short video of one inside a home. This
boxelder was filmed in the middle of winter but
because it's warm inside, they'll stay active.
This video shows many phases of Boxelder Bugs so
you can see adults compared to nymphs. All are
common to find when you have an infestation.
You can attempt to seal them out but this will require
the right products and some time. sealing is effective,
however, and help to keep out all other unwanted
pests. For this reason the time and cost
to do some "house sealing" is worth it. Most
homes that get invaded have lots and lots
of small cracks, crevices and gaps through
which boxelders enter. These entry points should
be reduced and/or eliminated with the use
of some FOAM SEALENT. These cans are self
charged and good for small jobs. If you have
a lot of work to do, it would be wise to
invest in one of the professional FOAM GUNS
and maybe even the 24" FOAM GUN. These
tools will enable you to apply the sealent
quickly and precisely without much waste
or missed applications. In other words, they
will more then pay for themselves. You'll
need the FOAM CANNISTERS for these guns, which
easily fit on either applicator, and cover
a much larger area then the smaller cans.
If your home is prone to animal invasions,
consider the FOAM WITH REPELLENT. This cannister
comes with expanding foam but includes a
strong repellent which insects and animals
do not like. It may be just what you need
to make sure ladybugs and other undesirable
home invaders aren't able to find their way
inside quite as easily as they have in the
past. Be sure to keep your guns clean by
using some FOAM GUN CLEANER. This will
help keep the gun functioning and ready to
go to work when next needed.
Although boxelder bugs don't bite, they will
make a mess. Their droppings will accumulate where
they are roosting and their eggs will appear as
a series of small sacks laid 6-12 in a row. Since
warm homes interfere with their natural cycles and
biology, you may find reproduction and egg laying
throughout the winter months. To remove the ones
which are emerging inside the home, use a vacuum.
This may seem like a never ending job, but it
allows for a clean and quick removal of the pest.
However, if you don't address where they are
entering, expect the supply of boxelder bugs to
be ever increasing. To stop the invasion, there
are several things you should do both inside
and outside.
First, address the outside. Since most infestations
start slowly, you can head it off before they
establish themselves inside. If you have seen them
congregating on a tree or the side of your house,
you need to spray them immediately. Use CYPERMETHRIN
and SPREADER STICKER for a quick kill. Mix these
in a SPRAYER and treat any tree, plant or
structure you see them accumulating on. This
treatment will reduce the active ones wanting to
nest in and around your home. By reducing these
numbers, you are reducing the amount that could find
their way inside. If you are treating an infestation
which is outside only, the Cypermethrin will kill
off those which are emerging. However, for long
term control, the treatment must reach down to
where the boxelders are nesting. This could be
under a pile of thick mulch or further down in
the soil and to the roots of the host plant. For
such situations, the use of DELTAGUARD GRANULES
will probably work better than just liquid alone.
Apply the Granules with a GRANULE SPREADER to
insure you get a good even distribution. In
most cases, it is better to treat and kill off
the established population instead of removing
the infested plant. Simply removing the infested
plant will rarely remove all the Boxelders and
in most cases they will just move over to the next
available host. Prevent this from happening
if you have a lot of plants infested by first
applying some of the Granules and then spraying
over the top with the Cypermethrin. To help
identify just how much of an area you should treat,
a pair of STRESS GLASSES can really help. These
unique filtering glasses will help to reveal just
which shrubs and trees are under duress and need
attention. Be sure to treat around them with
both the Granules and liquid Cypermethrin to
insure you get good penetration.
If the boxelders have already moved inside and
have started nesting in your home, you will have to
treat the structure as well. The first step for
treating the home is to spray the outside walls.
Using the cypermethrin, simply spray as high
up the sides of the home you can reach. Our pump
sprayer is able to reach up to 30 feet high which
is needed in many situations. For mild infestations,
spraying the outside of the home will stop them.
If the population is one which is established and
is more than a year old, you will have to do more.
In addition to spraying with cypermethrin, you will
need to treat cracks and crevices with DRIONE DUST.
This material acts as a dessicant on the boxelder
bugs and will make hibernation impossible. Drione is
very to safe to use and yet very effective. Because
it dries insects out, they find it to be
irritating and just about any pest will avoid treated
areas. Using a HAND DUSTER, apply the Drione to
any crack, crevice, joint or seam where boxelders
may enter. It may take a while to treat, but it will
keep these invading pests out. Drione can also be
used inside for wall treatments. Such areas are prime
entry points and include electric outlets, switch
plate covers, light fixtures, window and door frames.
If your home has already been invaded and you are
finding the boxelders emerging inside, you must reduce
their numbers. This can be done by vacuuming and
treating with PT PHANTOM. This aerosol is easy to
use and it comes with a thin injector tube which allows
you to treat thin cracks and seams through which
the boxelders may enter. Treat the rooms where most
of the activity is found. Treat around window frames,
door frames, electric outlets, molding, light fixtures
and just about any crack or crevice leading to the
interior of walls or attic space. If the outside
has been treated with Drione and Cypermethrin before
the boxelders have moved in for the winter, you
shouldn't expect to have any coming inside. However,
if you have experienced activity in the past, expect
to see some even after treatment. Although this number
should decrease, do not expect to get rid of them
immediately. It will take a season or two for the
cycle to be completely broken and their population
diminished. Once you have treated, only time will
help the application to have it maximum effect.
To help deal with the few you may still be seeing,
a HAND HELD ZAPPER can be used. Its handy because
it will kill just about any flying or crawling
insect without making a mess.If you have a lot which
are accumulating in cracks and crevices, our handyBUG VACUUM/ZAPPER may be better suited. It comes with
it's own recharger and works on just about any type
of insect allowing for quick and clean bug removal.
Treating for boxelder bugs before they move into
the wall voids of your home is the best way to
stop invading populations. Expect to see them grouping
in the fall as they prepare for their winter
hibernation. Treat these congregations with Cypermethrin
for quick control. If they have already established
themselves inside, you will need to treat outside
populations with cypermethrin, exterior wall cracks
with Drione Dust and interior entrance cracks with
PT Phantom. This practical approach will stop new
infestations, force them away from your beneficial
trees and shrubs in your yard and keep your home
from becoming their winter play ground.
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