If you ever see red and black bugs and wonder what exactly they are, you’re in the right place. There's a good chance the creatures you are encountering are boxelder bugs, which fall into a group of pests called occasional invaders.
If you’re worried about these pests showing up around your home or business, contact Western Exterminator online for boxelder bug prevention, or call us at 800-937-8398 today to discuss an effective solution.
Western boxelder bugs are found throughout western North America, from central British Columbia and Idaho down to California, Utah, Arizona, and Texas. Western boxelder bugs feed on the female boxelder tree (Acer negundo), which is located in eastern Oregon, southeastern Washington, and eastern California. They can also get nourishment from maple trees. Boxelder bugs favor feeding on seeds, although they can also consume sap.
Eggs are laid by female western boxelder bugs in the cracks of tree bark during spring. The eggs are red and take 10 to 14 days to hatch. Nymphs are colored bright red but gain dark marks as they grow. Take note: adult Western boxelder bugs have a dark-orange body under their wings, so you may see that as they fly.
Western boxelder bugs may become a nuisance pest in your home during the autumn. They will enter homes to pass the winter, and then re-emerge in spring when it becomes warm.
The adult western boxelder bug, or Boisea rubrolineata, is gray-brown to black in color and has red lines on the part between its neck and abdomen, as well as red lines on the wings. It is ⅜ to ⅝ inches long.
The Western boxelder bug is a different species than the boxelder bug, which is located in the eastern United States to eastern Nevada. Be careful when trying to identify a boxelder bug, as it can look like other bugs.
You may confuse the small milkweed bug (Lygaeus kalmii) with the boxelder bug. Both have similar coloring, but there’s a key difference: small milkweed bugs have a bold X shape on their backs, while boxelder bugs have more defined red lines along the edges of their wings and thorax.
Boxelder bugs are considered fall invaders, which means they’re more common during the colder months. Individuals or small parties of boxelder bugs enter homes and fly into windows, bathtubs, and sinks, congregating on the floor adjacent to their overwintering harborage. A boxelder bug infestation can be frustrating to manage, and you may notice boxelder bug droppings on curtains, furnishings, or clothing. When crushed, they give off a strong odor. If trapped in basements or houses, they will eventually die.
In the fall, adult boxelder bugs assemble on the south sides of trees, rocks, and buildings to warm themselves in the sun. After large masses of bugs accumulate, they tend to fly to nearby buildings or other protected sites where they hibernate for the winter. They will enter homes and buildings and hibernate within the walls of the structure.
Boxelder bugs do not reproduce inside homes but enter through windows, doors, ceiling lights, soffit, and dryer vents, outdoor faucets, and on the siding of a home.
Boxelder bugs go through three main stages: egg, nymph, and adult. In spring, females lay tiny red eggs on the bark, leaves, and seeds of boxelder, maple, or ash trees. Within about two weeks, the eggs hatch into bright red nymphs.
As they grow, nymphs molt several times, gradually developing darker markings and small wing pads. By late summer, they reach adulthood, with the familiar black-and-red coloring and fully developed wings.
Adult boxelder bugs spend the warmer months feeding outdoors, then search for sheltered spots to overwinter, often on buildings or inside homes. Once temperatures rise again, they emerge to begin the cycle a new.
Although boxelder bugs are not typically recognized as biters, they can pierce the skin, which can cause irritation and a red bump that is similar to a mosquito bite. Seek medical attention if you happen to be bitten and experience any kind of severe reaction.
Our team of exterminators can help reduce their numbers and prevent them from becoming a recurring problem. We offer inspections and customized treatment plans designed to target boxelder bugs where they gather and enter your home. Click the button below to schedule your free inspection with us today.
Though the following bugs may look a bit similar in color to boxelder bugs, they are not the same creatures. Watch out when trying to pinpoint what kind of bug you’re seeing.
These bugs are known as Lygaeus kalmii and are dark gray to black in color with an orange or red band on the front wings (it looks like an X). The head is black and has a red spot. They eat milkweed and other plants for nourishment. They can also consume fluids of insects that have died, as well as monarch caterpillars and pupae.
Small milkweed bugs lay their eggs on milkweed when it is springtime and can have more than one generation in a year. The eggs are laid very soon after they become adults and turn from yellow to red when it’s time to hatch. You typically don’t need to take control measures for milkweed bugs, but reach out to Western Exterminator if they become a problem.
As the name suggests, red-shouldered bugs (Jadera haematoloma) usually have a bit of reddish color on their shoulders, and their eyes are reddish as well. They are located in the southern U.S. The rest of the upper side of the body can be from dark gray to black. Nymphs are more red, while the other parts of the body are brown.
Red-shouldered bugs like feeding on goldenrain trees and chinaberry trees. They do not cause much harm to host plants. You can use water to remove them.
You can vacuum to remove boxelder bugs. Also, you may want to get rid of seeds under host trees to cut out a source of food, or get rid of female boxelder trees that are close to your property. To help deter adult boxelder bugs from coming inside to spend the winter, fix torn screens on doors and apply caulk to cracks around windows and doors.
Although boxelder bugs will likely not cause any major damage to your property, they may be a bother. Contact Western Exterminator for boxelder bug control in your home or business.
Yes. The most common species in the western United States is the Western boxelder bug (Boisea rubrolineata). In the eastern part of the country, the Eastern boxelder bug (Boisea trivittata) is more common. Both look very similar and behave in similar ways.
Boxelder bugs do have wings and can fly, but they usually move around by crawling. You’ll often see them resting in sunny spots or gathering on the sides of buildings rather than flying long distances.
No. Boxelder bugs do not reproduce indoors. They enter homes to overwinter in wall voids, attics, and other sheltered spaces, but they need outdoor host plants, such as boxelder or maple trees, to lay eggs in spring.
Boxelder bugs feed on the seeds and leaves of certain trees. While they may cause minor cosmetic damage to plants, they are not considered a serious threat to the environment.
Ecologically, they play a small role in the food chain as prey for birds and other predators, but around homes, they are mainly regarded as nuisance pests.
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