Pests We Treat - Middletown, NJ home invaded by boxelder bugs

A Middletown, NJ homeowner was infested with boxelder bugs around her front door. Boxelder bugs are so-named because starting in mid-July they gravitate toward seed-bearing boxelder trees, a fast-growing type of maple. These trees produce prodigious quantities of edible seeds that are an attractant to deer, rodents, and, yes, boxelder bugs. These bugs not only feed on the seeds, but also lay their eggs all over the tree.

During late summer and fall, they start to leave the trees to find protected areas to overwinter. If you have boxelder, maple, or ash trees on your property, and your home has a large sunny southern or western exposure, you could well find yourself with a boxelder bug infestation. As the weather cools, boxelder bugs will push into cracks and spaces around homes to seek shelter and protection, sometimes winding their way inside. Once inside, they survive for at most a week. These bugs neither bite nor cause property damage, other than perhaps some excrement staining. They are a nuisance primarily because they infest homes to overwinter, and often do so in large numbers. The best way to avoid a boxelder bug infestation is to exclude them. Window and door screens and any vents should be in good condition. Any gaps around wires, phone lines, or pipes leading into the house need to be sealed. And there should be no gaps under and around doors.

Sure enough, after a thorough inspection of this Middletown home, I found boxelder bugs seeking harborage on the southern side of the house. They were hiding under the siding, the lower roof shingles, and inside cracks and crevices. To resolve the infestation, I applied a residual insecticide around door frames, under siding, roof shingles. I also discussed important preventive-exclusion steps. She did not want to be re-visited by these bugs, and assured me her handyman would be on top of it. The homeowner was grateful that her boxelder bug infestation was resolved.