Tips You Can Use To Avoid Boxelder Bugs

If 100 people go to a party, and for snacks, the hosts have provided equal amounts of potato chips, tiny chicken salad sandwiches, and uncooked, unsalted brustle sprouts, which food do you think will have the most left over? Now we know what you are thinking, “What does this have to do with boxelder bugs?” You see, boxelder bugs are like the uncooked brustle sprouts of creatures. Because of their foul smell and horrible taste, they are not commonly preyed upon the way other insects are. This allows their populations to grow, which can result in the problems that they cause to be much greater than those of most other nuisance pests.

What Are Boxelder Bugs?

With oval-shaped black bodies and reddish-orange marks, boxelder bugs are sleek, dangerous-looking insect pests. Named after the tree they are most commonly found around, boxelder bugs are known for their pungent smell and foul taste. As we previously discussed, these two traits make box elder bugs a more prevalent pest here in Utah.

Problems Boxelder Bugs Cause

Despite their dangerous-looking appearance, box elder bugs are not dangerous pests. They do not have nasty bites or painful stings like other pests. What they do have are numbers. When boxelder bugs invade homes, they can do so in large numbers. This can cause a fair amount of trouble. For one, boxelder bugs give off a pungent smell when crushed, so even if you do manage to kill one of these nuisances, they will repay you with an unpleasant odor. In addition to this, their fecal matter can stain drapes, curtains, furniture, and other fabric objects. All of this just adds to the annoyance of having bugs in your home in the first place.

Prevention Tips For Boxelder Bugs

To keep unwanted guests out of your house (burglars for instance) what do you do? You lock doors and windows and seal off other potential ways to get inside, correct? In the same way, you can deal with boxelder bugs, except you have to keep in mind that their small size greatly increases the places they can get in. Here are a few things you can do to eliminate potential boxelder bug entry points.

• Look for cracks or gaps in your home’s exterior foundation and seal these off using a high-quality caulking gun.
• With that same caulking gun, examine around utility piping and door and window frames for similar cracks. Again, fill these in.
• If your exterior doors do not already have door sweeps, consider investing in some.
• Make sure all of your window and door screens are in good repair.

Why Professional Control Is Worth It

If you want greater protection for your home, we have comprehensive pest control plans here at Pickett Pest Control that deal with a number of pests including boxelder bugs. With a single visit from one of our trained pest experts, we not only make sure your home gets pest-free, but we can then ensure it stays that way! Reach out today!