Have you noticed a black bug that has distinctive red or orange markings around your home? Well, you’re not alone! Boxelder Beetles have been plaguing homeowners in Valatie, Albany, Clifton Park, Schenectady, Saratoga and surrounding towns this autumn. Box elders swarm on sunlit sides of structures, around window/doors and sometimes using cracks and crevices around siding, windows and doors to gain entry inside. Boxelder beetles are very common in the northeast and surging in in population due to the unusual warm temperatures that have extended well into the fall season, allowing more time for boxelder bugs to develop into adults, and keeping the bugs active and more visible for much longer,” according to Ehrlich Pest Control.

Boxelder beetles are more of a nuisance than anything, as they do not carry disease, cause structural damage or harm people. Boxelder beetles are attached to places where the sun exposure is the greatest, then look for cracks and crevices in the structure to spend the winter.

A good freeze will reduce populations as well. However, in the meantime, getting rid of boxelder beetles can be difficult. The best means of prevention is to seal and bug proof your Clifton Park home by caulking joints, pipe chases, windows, doors, around siding, chimneys and adding door sweeps to doors. Not only will this help prevent insects from gaining entry inside, but rodents too! The optimal treatment time is late summer into early fall.

If you are finding boxelder bugs inside your home, try to locate the openings where the insects have gain access. Look around baseboards, window/door trim, around fans, ceiling lights and caulk to prevent boxelder beetles from crawling out. If you find them inside, take the vacuum cleaner and remove them. Just remember to empty the bag or canister outside once complete. Once boxelder beetles and other overwintering insects like cluster flies and stink bugs have entered the structure, removing them completely can be difficult.

At the first signs of a boxelder bug problem contact Thomas Pest Services. We provide residential pest control services in Albany, Saratoga, the Capital District, and the Adirondack region to help eliminate boxelder bug infestations.