As we prepare for fall and winter in Minnesota, it’s time to start thinking about all the pests that want to invade our warm and cozy homes! One of the bigger nuisances that we have to deal with year after year is the box elder bug. At EcoTech, each year we’re called by countless customers because of an infiltration of large colonies of box elder bugs.
In Minnesota, boxelder bugs emerge from overwintering sites during spring as the brutal winters shift into sunnier days. The adults will be in search for low vegetation and seeds on the ground during spring and early summer, and begin mating a couple weeks after they started feeding. In mid July the females need to find seed-bearing boxelder trees (hence how they get their name) where they lay eggs on the trunks, branches and leaves. They are rarely found on male boxelder trees, and sometimes Boxelder bugs also feed on maple or ash trees. Boxelders do not harm any trees as we know and are part of the functioning ecosystem.
When the weather shifts again and the fall sets in, boxelder bugs start to leave the trees from where they were laying eggs and feeding to find protected areas for the winter. Although nymphs may be present in the fall, only fully grown adults survive the winter. During this time boxelders will become attracted to homes to find warmth.
Read Full Post →
Box elder bugs are commonly found in Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs. Wherever box elder trees as well as maple trees reside, the Box elder bugs will follow. In the warmer months, these bugs hang out on trees, bricks, decks, siding, etc., so they can get direct sunlight. During the warmer months of the year, these pests lay eggs, causing more and more Boxelder bugs to hang around your property. The real issues occur when the winter months hit. Often times, Boxelder bugs enter into homes through the tiniest holes or cracks and get into the walls of your home to help insulate and keep themselves warm during the colder months of the year. Next thing you know, your home has been infested with Boxelder bugs. Rather than trying to remove these unwanted pests on your own, leave it up to our experienced team at Eco Tech.
This time of year it is very common to notice an uptick of box elder bugs coming into your home or business. These bugs are trying to find a warm place to live in order to survive the cold Minnesota winter. Box elder bugs measure about 1/2-inch long, and they are mostly black with orange or red markings, including three stripes on the prothorax, the area right behind the head. They do not cause harm to humans or pets but they can stain surfaces inside your home or property with their excrement. Eco Tech, a leading natural pest control company serving the Anoka, MN area, specializes in the effective elimination of box elder bugs from the interior of your home or business. Our team has been in the pest control business for more than 15 years and uses organic and all natural pest control solutions that are safe for the environment, your family and your pets.
Have you seen an influx of those colorful but still creepy looking bugs entering into your home in the early spring or late summer months? They are typically dark brown or black, and decorated with a splash of red wing veins and markings on the abdomen.
