Box Elder Bugs

Box elder bugs are routinely found in and around many houses in Grand Rapids. Box elder bugs are black with reddish/orange lines on their back.The adults can grow to be about ½ inch’s long. Around your yard, box elder bugs can be found feeding off of a box elder tree by sucking its juices, and also on the plants in your landscape. However, during the fall these insects tend to seek shelter inside of homes for the winter. They will find cracks and crevices of your walls and foundations and live in your home to get out of the cold Michigan winters.

Box Elder Bug Habitat

Grand Rapids has a tendency to have warm summers and cold winters. A boxelder bug lives on boxelder trees during the spring and summer where they eat the leaves and seeds of these trees and lay their eggs. As the weather begins to get colder in Michigan around October, boxelder bugs look for warmth. You may have seen boxelder bugs all over the sunny side of your house or on rocks or trees that have the sun hitting them. When the weather gets too cold for boxelder bugs to be outside, they find cracks in your home to overwinter. When winter is over, boxelder bugs leave your home and go back to the trees to lay eggs and feed. Last year, boxelder bugs were out in full force in the Grand Rapids area. Lots of rain and sunshine during the fall will turn these bugs into a nuisance.

Box Elder Bug Damage

Your home and family can suffer from Box Elder bug damage. Boxelder bugs have a tendency to build up a substantial population, which can invade your home like what was said above. Don’t worry! Boxelder bugs will not cause any damage to the structure of your home. However, although they don’t eat the wood or fabric in the home, they may stain the fabric within the space. They also can bite you which will cause a small red spot that is comparable to a mosquito bite. If you do notice a boxelder bug problem in your home, call Perfection Lawn Care and we will give you a quote for box elder perimeter pest control.