The pests are relatively harmless indoors and they generally don’t bother houseplants. Each bug lives less than a week, although their lifespan may seem longer because the bugs are active at different times.īoxelder bugs become active in spring and they’re anxious to get back outdoors to lay their eggs, but they’re usually trapped and die inside your home. The bugs settle in and become less noticeable when the weather turns cold but tend to become active on warm days.
#Long black bug with red stripes crack
They force their way through any tiny crack or crevice they can find. The bugs leave their feeding places in late summer and fall and begin their quest for warm places to spend the winter. The biggest problem caused by boxelder bugs is their tendency to invade indoor living spaces, often in great numbers. They can, however, feed on the fruit of grapes, peach, apple, pear, and other fruit-bearing plants, often resulting in damage from puncture wounds. The damage usually isn’t significant, but large numbers of pests can cause foliage to take on a distorted appearance. According to the University of Minnesota Extension, boxelder bugs are most prevalent during hot, dry summers followed by warm, mild springs.īoxelder bugs in gardens feed primarily on leaves, seedpods, and blooms of female boxelder trees, as well as other trees like ash and maple. Freshly laid boxelder bug eggs, which are laid in spring, are yellow, turning reddish brown as the nymph inside the egg gains maturity.
Adult boxelder bugs measure about ½ inch (1 cm.) in length. What Are Boxelder Bugs and What Do Boxelder Bugs Look Like?Įasily recognized, boxelder bugs are black bugs marked by bright red stripes. Read on to learn more about boxelder bugs, including a few tips for boxelder bug control. What are boxelder bugs? Boxelder bugs are major nuisances around the house but, fortunately, boxelder bugs in gardens are relatively harmless.
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