Boxelder bugs can be a real nuisance, as they seem to grow in numbers so quickly. Although they only live around a week on average, these pesky critters can wreak a lot of havoc on plants and can generally be a bother as they find their way into your home, uninvited, and even stain clothing and other textiles. While you can always call up insect control services in your Salt Lake City locale to quell the boxelder bug population and bug-proof your home, it can be a good idea to identify what attracts them to your property in the first place. This is especially crucial in springtime, when they have been known to be more active and spike in number.
Here are some reasons you may be facing a boxelder infestation:
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There are boxelder maple and other variants of maple trees nearby
Boxelder bugs are so named for their affinity for boxelder maple trees, as their main source of sustenance. These pesky bugs fancy the boxelder maple, though other variations like the silver maple tree also serve as a choice food source for these insects. They often feed on the seeds that come from the trees as well as on their fresh leaves.
If you have a bunch of these trees in the vicinity, expect to see boxelder bugs during summer and spring.
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You have particularly warm and sunny sections at home
Boxelder bugs like warmth and sunlight, so they are more likely to take shelter in your home if you have sections that have a lot of glass panels, light colored paint, and enough insulation that the temperature can be nice and toasty. You are also more likely to attract them to these parts of your house when the winter season approaches, as they will begin to seek shelter in large numbers.
It should be noted that during the actual winter season, these bugs become inactive as they enter a period of hibernation. After the cold passes, they will start to reappear and begin to reproduce at pretty quick rates.
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Your home has cracks and crevices near light sources
The problem with these critters going into your home is that they can come in droves and stain your sheets, carpets, curtains, and the like. Their feces are the cause of these stains, though you’ll find that trying to squish them also produces unsightly and hard-to-clean stains.
They crave warm environments, so if you have any cracks or crevices that lead into your home which provide ample access to natural light, it may be wise to seal these up. They are likely to not only pass through these crevices, but also even to hole up and breed in these gaps.
Having an infestation can be bothersome, though it doesn’t always take much to keep boxelder bugs at bay and away for good. The trouble is when they’ve already settled in large numbers. While prevention is the key, you can always reach out to pest experts and see what you can do to quell an existing infestation and to prevent a new one from happening.
