If you have a boxelder tree on your property, you may also have boxelder bugs invading your home. These black and red-orange pests often swarm in large numbers and can be tough to eliminate without professional help. Strib Pest Management offers effective, eco-friendly pest control across Southeast Wisconsin. Our experienced exterminators use organic treatments and low-impact methods to safely remove boxelder bugs, keeping your home, pets, and children safe from harsh chemicals.
To help you keep your home or office building pest-free, our team of pest control professionals will:
Sightings: Boxelder bugs are easy to recognize, so if you spot one, there are likely more nearby.
Seasonal Behavior: In winter, boxelder bugs seek warmth and may enter your home in search of shelter.
Proximity to Boxelder Trees: If there’s a boxelder tree (also called an ashleaf maple or Manitoba maple) nearby, you’re more likely to encounter these pests.
Boxelder bugs are a North American species typically found on boxelder trees. Adults are about ½ inch long, dark-colored, and have red markings on their wings and abdomen. Their main diet consists of sap from boxelder leaves, seeds, and twigs. While they may also feed on ash or maple trees, they cause no significant harm to the trees.
These bugs are harmless to plants, animals, and humans. However, as the weather cools, they seek warmth and may enter homes through cracks in the exterior. Once inside, they often congregate in sunny spots, such as windowsills with southern exposure. The only noticeable damage they cause is staining surfaces like curtains, window ledges, and walls with their excrement.
Once they emerge from hibernation, boxelder bugs live only a few days. They do not reproduce indoors, so there’s no risk of an overwhelming infestation.
Despite common misconceptions, boxelder bugs and stinkbugs are not the same. Stinkbugs have a broader, shield-shaped body with shorter legs, and their mottled brown or green coloration helps them blend in with tree trunks. The confusion arises because both insects emit a foul odor when crushed, often described as similar to rotten cilantro. Additionally, both tend to seek warmer shelters, like homes, during colder months to avoid overwintering.
For large boxelder bug infestations, professional extermination may be necessary. We treat the perimeter of your home with targeted pesticides to deter these pests. Our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach prioritizes non-toxic methods and organic solutions, leaving a lasting residue that continues to control boxelder populations for weeks.
To prevent future infestations, seal any cracks or openings in your home’s exterior. Since boxelder bugs often gather on south and west-facing walls before entering, spraying those areas with soapy water in the fall can also help keep them out.
Strib Pest Control is committed to providing flexible pest control solutions without the nonsense other companies like to throw at you. Most pest control companies are after the fastest “solution” that isn’t the most effective, all to rush to their next job and churn new clients. At Strib, our only focus is eliminating your pest problem once and for all. There are no gimmicks, just honest boxelder bug extermination. Working with Strib Pest Control is a straightforward process thanks to automated billing, digitized and detailed reports, world-class software, and real-time reporting.
Contact Strib Pest Control today for more information about our residential and commercial Wisconsin pest control services!
