Boxelder Bugs

Boxelder bugs are one of the most common pests we receive many questions about at Ozane Termite & Pest Control in Toms River, New Jersey. The bug problems are most prevalent during the cooler months when they invade the homes of people. Here's all you would like to know regarding boxelder bugs, their behaviors, and how Ozane can assist you in eliminating them from your home.

Identification of Boxelder Bugs

Boxelder bugs are easily recognizable, with their distinctive black body and red or orange markings up and down their back. They grow to be about 1/2 inch long. During their younger states, nymphs tend to be bright red, thus making them quite noticeable if they gather in great numbers.

Behavior and Habitat

Boxelder bugs can typically be found outdoors, especially around boxelder trees, maple trees, and ash trees, where the seeds, leaves, and flowers are their principal food sources. They are not particularly harmful to the trees, creating very minor damage, but they can become a nuisance when they congregate in large numbers. These bugs seek warmth and shelter once the weather cools down in Toms River, oftentimes resulting in the invasion of homes and other structures. They enter through small cracks and gaps around doors, windows, and siding. While they do not bite, sting, or cause structural damage, their numbers can be overwhelming, and they can leave stains on walls, curtains, and furniture from their droppings.

Boxelder Bug Infestation Signs

Here are several common signs that indicate you might be harboring a boxelder bug infestation:

• Clustering of Bugs on Warm Surfaces: Boxelder bugs can be seen congregating on the warm, sunny south sides of a house, taking in the warmth of the sun. You will more often than not find them clustering on walls, windows, and even siding.
• Indoors: Inside, boxelder bugs tend to congregate near any source of warmth and light such as the areas near windows, light fixtures, and any other warm area of the structure.
• Stains: Boxelder bugs can stain walls, fabrics, and surfaces rather badly when crushed or due to their excrement.

Seasonal Patterns

Boxelder bugs in Toms River are most energetic during the fall when they start overwintering and during the spring when they emerge from the same hiding spots. It is during these two times of the year that they could turn out to be very annoying as they seek warmth and shelter inside a structure.

Control and Prevention by Ozane Termite & Pest Control

Management of boxelder bugs is multistage, especially if anyone wants to prevent them from entering the structure—for that matter, your home. At Ozane Termite & Pest Control, we offer professional bug solutions for keeping their population under control:

• Exterior Treatments: The secret to success with boxelder bug control is making perimeter treatments around one's home to create a barrier that boxes these bugs out and prevents them from entering the home. This is especially important during the fall season when the bugs are most apt to seek shelter indoors.
• Sealing Entry Points: Address cracks and gaps around the window and door areas among other entry points that welcome boxelder bugs inside your home. Simple caulk and weather-stripping are effective ways to make sure these bugs stay outside where they belong.
• Safe Indoor Control: If the boxelder bugs have already invaded your home, we offer safe, yet effective treatments that will help eliminate them without posing a risk to your family or pets.
• Tree Management: Since boxelder bugs are attracted by the boxelder tree and other vegetation surrounding your property, we can help with landscaping recommendations to make your property less inviting to these pests, including pruning trees or moving firewood and debris away from the foundation of your home.