Box Elder Bug Facts & Information

What You Can Do

To stop box elder bugs from multiplying, it is often helpful to remove their host trees from the area surrounding your home, but the adults can still fly to locations off of the property.

If you choose to plant box elder trees in your yard, choose male trees (non-seed-bearing) since female trees are more susceptible to infestation. These trees are not recommended for ornamental planting.

What Orkin Does

In some homes, chemical product treatments might be necessary. Your local Orkin Pro is trained to help manage box elder bugs and similar pests. Since every building or home is different, your Orkin Pro will design a unique program for your situation.

Orkin can provide the right solution to keep box elder bugs in their place and out of your home or business.

Appearance

• Size: These bugs measure between 11 to 14 mm long.

• Color: Box elder bugs are black in color and have red lines along the thorax sides. Their wings are flat and red in color.

Behavior & Diet

Their presence is bothersome due to the scent they emit when crushed and their tendency to fly around living spaces. They may emerge from walls when heat sources within the building are high and they can be located in the warmest areas of a structure’s walls.

Box elder bugs do not nest indoors year-round. While overwintering, they do not feed or reproduce. During warmer seasons, they make their homes in box elder maple and ash trees.

Dropping Stains

Their droppings are unsightly and leave difficult stains to remove on:

• Curtains

• Furniture

• Linen

• Walls

Diet

These bugs feed on soft parts of box elder trees including:

• Flowers

• Juice from host trees

• Leaves

• Twigs

Life Cycle

Life Stages

Adult box elder bugs live and breed on leaves of box elder trees.

Eggs

These bugs prefer to lay their eggs in these trees during spring. Their eggs are reddish brown in color, allowing them to stay well hidden in the bark of the host tree.

Nymphs

After a few days, the eggs hatch into red and gray nymphs, which eventually mature and begin the breeding process again.

Adults

Mature box elder bugs can be found gathering in large numbers on branches and boughs. Concentrations will be heaviest in areas receiving sufficient sunlight.