The box elder bug mystery in my backyard
Eastern and western box elder bugs ( Boisea trivittata and B. rubrolineata ) are, in general, harmless bugs that feed mostly on the developing seeds of box elders and other maples. They use their piercing and sucking mouthparts to feed on box elder seeds, and not to pester humans. However, pester humans they do! In the fall, b oxelder bugs congregate in numbers, sometimes very large numbers, seeking a warm and sheltered place to hang out for the winter. When they can, they enter homes. A cluster of box elder bugs on a house. Courtesy University of Wisconsin - Madison . I recently had a reminder of how irritating these bugs can be. I had noticed "boxelder bugs" beginning to congregate on the west and south-facing sides of my wooden fencing. I was familiar with them after living in northern Utah. A pest, yes. A problem, no. Inside, you simply catch one and transport it back outside. If you notice numerous bugs crawling on the carpet or windows, you simply vacuum them u...