Breaking The Cycle Of Boxelder Bugs In Your Home

Every year in fall, boxelder bugs all around the country sense a chill in the air and begin heading indoors to ride out the winter. Although these bugs are neither toxic nor aggressive, their pungent aroma when stressed and sheer force of numbers can be overwhelming for any homeowner, and they may return year after year if not dealt with promptly. If you are tired of your annual influx of bugs and the stress they cause, these three steps can help you break the cycle of boxelders once and for all. 

Denying Access to Your Home

If boxelders cannot gain access to your house, they will be forced to look elsewhere for shelter. As boxelder season approaches, close your windows and repair any holes in your screen doors. Seal off plumbing, ventilation and any other access points through which a determined bug could squeeze; even the crack beneath your door is fair game for a boxelder, if it has enough clearance. Sprinkling diatomaceous earth on your windowsill will discourage these pests as well, since the fine particles are irritating or even fatal to insect exoskeletons. Unfortunately, vinyl siding is an ideal environment for these insects and can be nearly impossible to defend against them. 

Removing Boxelders From Your House 

Those with prior experience handling boxelder bugs will know that these insects often release a foul odor when they are stressed or crushed. Because of this, it is usually best to remove them from your home with a standard vacuum cleaner, sucking them up to be disposed of later. If you cannot reach all of the bugs or aren't certain you have found them all, call in a pest control expert to inspect your home and remove any lingering boxelders professionally. This pest control company can also assess your property to discover where boxelders are still gaining entry to your home and where their outdoor colony is located. 

Destroying or Preventing Outdoor Colonies

Boxelder bugs are known to feed on a variety of trees, including most commonly boxelders, other maple species and alders. Given the mobility of these bugs, removing trees from your own yard likely will not be enough to prevent an infestation, but you can still take certain measures to make your yard less welcoming to them. Treating colony trees by spraying can drastically reduce nearby population levels, making swarming season less dramatic for you and your neighbors. It may be beneficial to spray the sides of your home at the same time to prevent clusters forming later on, as well. Talk to your local pest control specialist about the steps you can take to further diminish your local population of boxelders and more effectively deny them entry into your home for good. 

Contact a pest control company, such as Ace Walco & Sons Termite & Pest Control, for more information.   

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