Boxelder bugs can be an irritating pest in your home. But if you’re determined to keep them at bay, there are several methods available for control.
The most efficient way to prevent boxelder bugs from entering your home is mechanical exclusion. Seal all exterior cracks and holes with a high quality silicone product or caulk, eliminating potential entry points for these pests.
Prevent Infestations
If your home is vulnerable to boxelder bugs, you might want to consider using one of our Boxelder Control products. Our effective pesticides can help prevent these insects from ever entering your house and eliminate any existing infestations.
First, look for obvious entry points where pests could enter your home. Check for gaps around window and door trim, cracks in the foundation, and where pipes enter your house. Seal these with high quality silicone or silicone-latex caulk.
Second, eliminate any boxes, stacks of paper, or cardboard that could provide a hiding spot for these bugs. They often inhabit wall voids so clearing away clutter will significantly reduce their population.
Finally, treat the trees on your property to discourage adults from laying eggs in the spring. Doing this will prevent large swarms of mosquitoes from migrating indoors during autumn.
Vacuuming
If you have had a boxelder bug infestation in your home, vacuuming is an effective way to physically eliminate them. This can be done with any regular household vacuum cleaner and help prevent their spread throughout your house.
In many cases, homeowners can take steps to prevent a boxelder bug infestation before it begins. Installing screens and weather-stripping on windows, doors and other areas of their home will help keep these pests out.
However, boxelder bugs can be difficult to track down. According to Margaret Skinner of the University of Vermont’s Department of Biology, boxelder bugs will sometimes travel hundreds of yards in search of shelter.
Insect Traps
Traps can help reduce infestations by decreasing their number and population. Traps may include passive interception devices that capture insects, lures and baits to attract specific pests, or a combination of both.
Pheromone traps can be used to detect insect invasions, delineate an area of infestation and monitor pest populations. Depending on its purpose and targeted species, these traps may be placed near or around suspected breeding areas.
Another type of pheromone trap utilizes a pest-specific pheromone. For instance, pantry moth pheromone attracts adult moths to a sticky card which can be placed near the infestation site for easy capture.
Homeowners can prevent boxelder bugs from invading their homes by patching any holes or cracks around window and door screens, caulking all cracks and crevices around the exterior of their property with caulk, then spraying Ortho(r) Home Defense(r) Insect Killer for Indoor & Perimeter around windows, doors, electrical/plumbing penetrations, foundation walls as well as around eaves and soffits with this product.
Homemade Insecticide
During the summer, boxelder bugs can be effectively kept out of your garden with a homemade pesticide that includes horticultural oils. The oil-based spray will suffocate the insects and prevent them from reproducing.
Neem oil is another effective option. Made from the seeds of the neem tree, this vegetable oil has long been recognized for its ability to repel insects.
Boxelder bug oil can be applied directly on plant surfaces to kill them off and deter other pests from nesting in or near your trees. Mix the oil with water and use it as a spray for entryways or around plants to make an effective spray.
Once the insects have been eliminated from your home, try to prevent re-invasion by sealing any cracks around the perimeter. Furthermore, apply a Pyrethrin-based residual insecticide designed for this purpose before temperatures drop in late autumn.