To get a proper overview of boxelder bugs, think of them as a certain type of relative, one who isn’t likely to steal from you or burn your house down, but still is generally unwelcome.
Despite their dramatic (and somewhat alarming) red and black coloring, these bugs won’t hurt you, your pets, or even your plants. But they stay too long, invite too many of their friends to come along, and are somewhat difficult to evict – and who wants to use toxic pesticides on or near the house?
Is there a natural way to get rid of boxelder bugs forever? Some kind of magic, natural boxelder bug repellent? Well, not exactly, but there are non-toxic ways to get them out of your home.
Identifying Boxelder Bugs
Now, boxelder bugs are not the only pests you will find around your house, so your first step in getting rid of them is to correctly identify them. Increasingly, there are new types of pests to look out for. Boxelder bugs may be new to you, but are not new.
Boxelder bugs are red or red and black in all of their life stages. Eggs are laid yellow but turn red as the bugs. Newly hatched nymphs are red, developing black markings as they mature.
By the time they grow to adulthood, boxelder bugs are mostly black with three red lines on the pronotum of the thorax, fine red lines on each wing, and a red abdomen. Adult bugs are ½-inch (1.27 centimeters) long. They are about a third as long as they are wide.
Where to look for them? They often cover the sunny outside walls of a building as well as inside the home. While they don’t reproduce inside the home, they can get in through any crack or vent. They like to feed on box elder trees, especially female trees, so if you have any in your yard, you can look at the tree.
Are Boxelder Bugs Harmful?
Boxelder bugs are nuisance bugs. They don’t sting or harm people or animals and they don’t transmit diseases. They won’t hurt your houseplants either. However, they do feed on female box elder trees, occasionally on male box elder trees, and – in the absence of these, will feed and reproduce on other types maple trees, ash trees, and some fruit trees. This does not kill the trees but can cause minor deformities in fruits and leaves.
The boxelder bugs are annoying, however. If you smash them, the odor is unpleasant. And once one bug finds a comfortable place to stay, it will “summon” others to the location. You might end up with thousands of them on a sunny exterior wall.
How To Get Rid Of Boxelder Bugs Naturally
Sadly, there is no one-step, easy-sneezy trick you can use to cause the boxelder bugs to exit your property – like raw garlic or a sprig of lavender. Then how to naturally get rid of boxelder bugs? There is one efficient way to get the bugs out of your house without squishing them or using poison: using the vacuum cleaner.
Vacuuming up boxelder bugs will take care of the pests indoors. You’ll want to take the vacuum bag to the garbage can quickly. If that doesn’t work for you, tuck the vacuum bag into the freezer overnight. That will kill the bugs too. Another alternative is to pick up the bugs by hand or with a broom and discard them outdoors.
Not interested in using your regular vacuum cleaner to suck up bugs? Try using a shop vac instead. This Craftsman 12 gallon wet/dry vacuum from Ace Hardware will make quick work of boxelder bugs, as well as spills and messes around the house or shed.
If all you want is to get rid of the bugs inside the home, close up those cracks. Caulk or seal all crevices by which they can get in, install screens on the windows and doors, and install weather stripping.
If you also want to get the bugs off the outside walls of your house, a high-power hose works well. It will wash all the bugs off and may drown some of them.
If the bugs are a continuing problem, you might want to get rid of any female box elder trees in your landscape – although similar trees in your neighbor’s yard may do just as well for the bugs. Removing trees may feel harsh, so do this only if you get oodles of these nuisance bugs every year and can’t take it anymore. Contacting a professional tree removal service is a good idea.
If this is not something you want to do, rake up all fallen seedpods from the ground beneath the trees. Remove any piles of rocks, stacks of wood and piles of leaves near the house since the bugs can use these spots to shelter. Also clip back overgrown plants.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get rid of boxelder bugs permanently?
Obviously, vacuuming up boxender bugs will not get rid of them permanently. Taking out their host trees will go further toward this end than vacuuming.
What homemade recipe kills boxelder bugs?
Here’s a simple homemade solution that kills boxelder bugs: soap and water. You put a large spoonful of liquid dishwashing soap in a spray bottle full of water. Spray it on the boxelder bugs and it is said to break down the bugs' outer shells. They dehydrate and die.
