How do I get rid of box elder bugs inside?

Question: Can you effectively get rid of box elder bugs from inside the house? Please tell me about the plan and how it works. What is the estimated cost?

Answer: Boxelder bugs (Boisea trivittatus) aren’t a hearty pest, but they are certainly a nuisance. The first order of business is to determine how they are getting into your home. They are coming in looking for shelter. They do not bite or sting, but in large numbers they can stain surfaces with their droppings. Make sure your screens are in a good state or repair, there are no gaps in your home's siding, there are no gaps around windows and doors, and any plumbing, wiring, cable, etc. is sealed at the point where it comes through the exterior wall.

Beyond this, additional treatments may be necessary.

Call your local Orkin Branch Office and a highly trained Orkin Pest Specialist will inspect your home, recommend areas that you need to seal and develop a customized, scientifically proven treatment that best fits your situation.

Related Questions

Orkin used the information above to also answer the following questions submitted by Orkin.com users:

Question: Can Orkin help with box elder bugs inside one's home?

Question: My house is infested with box elders. Where are they coming from? Do I need to eliminate any specific trees outside? Does anything kill them? I think we have ash and a tobie tree closest to my house. I also have shrubs. Any suggestion would be appreciated.

Question: Hello! We have a beetle-type bug that is all over our home, and is swarming around certain windows. It looks like a skinny beetle, black with orange markings on the back and can have wings. Approx 1/2 inch long. Any idea what this is, and if it can cause any damage? Live in Chicago suburbs.

Question: Can anything be done about box elder bugs? Now that the weather is warming up, we are finding more in our home (which must have been in our home all winter).

Question: How do you kill box elder beetles?

Question: My house is infested with box elders, both inside and out. What service can you provide to eliminate the box elders?