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Box Elder Bugs

What do box elder bugs look like?

Adult box elder bugs are sometimes called “Halloween bugs” because of their black and orangish-red colored bodies. Box elder bugs have a black body with a reddish colored outline going along their thorax, wings, and sides; adults grow to be about ½ of an inch in length.

Box elder bugs have fully developed wings that lay flat across their back when at rest. They are equipped with piercing-sucking mouthparts that they use for feeding on leaves, flowers and young branches.

Young box elder bugs or nymphs are smaller in size compared to the adults; they don’t have wings and are solid red in color.

Box Elder Bug

Are box elder bugs dangerous?

Box elder bugs are not considered to be a dangerous pest, they a species of nuisance pest. They aren’t known to carry or transmit any diseases to people.

Box elder bugs will enter homes in large numbers and once inside can be very difficult to locate and eliminate.

Also, when box elder bugs are squished they may leave behind an orangish- red mark that can stain upholstered furniture, curtains, and walls.

Do box elder bugs bite?

Box elder bugs are not aggressive, but their piercing mouthparts are capable of piercing the skin of a person, this however rarely happens.

If a person does ever get bitten by a box elder bug, the bite is not very painful and a mark similar to a mosquito bite may appear.

Why do I have a problem with box elder bugs?

During the spring and summer months box elder bugs are found outside living on box elder trees and other seed-bearing trees. When the weather cools down in the fall they are attracted to the warm sunny exterior walls of buildings.

As they move up the sides of the building they will find their way inside through cracks and crevices in the walls and through the spaces found around windows and doors.

Once inside they will travel through your home until they reach a suitable area to overwinter in. Inside  a home box elder bugs typically overwinter inside of wall voids, in crawls spaces and attics, and underneath of floors.

How do you get rid of box elder bugs?

The best way to prevent problems with box elder bugs in your home is to get help from a professional box elder bug control expert.

Spencer Pest Services can stop box elder bugs from invading with effective home pest control services. Our Service Professionals have the experience, training, and equipment needed to control box elder bugs in and around your home.

Available for the Upstate of South CarolinaCashiers and western North Carolina as well as northern Georgina, contact Spencer today for more information about our box elder bug control services.

Box elder bug prevention tips

Along with implementing a home pest control plan, the following tips can help prevent problems with box elder bugs.

  • If possible remove box elder trees from your property.
  • Seal cracks and crevices found in the foundation and exterior walls of your home.
  • Caulk gaps found around exterior windows and doors.
  • Make sure that screens in windows and doors are completely intact.
  • Seal any spaces that are found around utilities that are entering into your home.

For more information about how Spencer Pest Services can eliminate box elder bugs from your Greenville, upstate of South Carolina property, call us today.