- A lone box elder bug. Box elders often congregate by the thousands along sun-facing walls of homes and buildings.
What do Box Elders look like?
Effective Box Elder control begins with positively identifying that the pests you are dealing with are actually box elders. Adult box elder bugs are up to 1/2" in length. They are typically black with three red stripes on the thorax and red veins in the wings. They are sometimes mistaken for beetles but are actually "true bugs." The nymphs are smaller than those of beetles and are bright red.
How are Box Elders a nuisance?
Box Elders become a nuisance when they migrate from their summer feeding habitats to homes and other structures. Much to the dismay of homeowners, box elders often return seasonally to the same place; over time their populations can become very large, virtually covering the sun-facing sides of buildings or fences. Some may find their way inside, where they do minimal damage aside from fecal staining on upholstery and producing foul odors when crushed. Box elders feed primarily on the boxelder tree, but are also found on maples and other plants (rarely doing damage). It is advised to contact a box elder control company immediately upon noticing an infestation, as the sooner a population is controlled, the less likely it will become overwhelming.
What are some recommended Box Elder control techniques?
Some long-term solutions to prevent box elder bugs include removing nearby box elder/maple trees while planting different tree types along west- and south-facing walls. When devising a pest control strategy to keep them away from your home or other buildings, a box elder-control company should consider limiting the quantity of insecticides used, while implementing pest prevention methods that create long-lasting effects. Contact us today to learn about our green approach to box elder control.
CALL ALPHA ECOLOGICAL TO SOLVE YOUR BOX ELDER PROBLEM SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY.
