Box elder bugs are very common in Colorado. They are black insects with red lines on their body and wings. Box elder bugs, like many insects, overwinter as adults in warm, sheltered places. If the warm, sheltered places they choose are in your house, you will notice them coming out as soon as the weather warms in the spring, which means you’ve probably begun to see them and are likely to see more as the weather continues to warm.

Here’s the good news: box elder bugs don’t generally eat your home or food vegetable matter, and they don’t carry any diseases. The bad news is that they often congregate in very large numbers and when they emerge, it can be quite unnerving. It’s also unfortunate that they are resistant to most types of pesticides we use. Direct application of pesticides will generally kill them, but the residual kill effect is minimal. You can kill them with over-the-counter aerosol pest sprays, if you hit them directly, but soap-and-water solutions generally work, too.

The most effective way to get rid of box elder bugs is to find the location of female box elder trees nearby and remove them. These trees are the primary source of your infestation, and if they’re removed, you’ll likely see a lot fewer of these bugs in your home.

At Animal Pest Control Specialist, we know the best solution for taking care of pests is not always the immediate one. Often, effective, long-term pest control involves taking a wider look at where animals come from and why they’re invading your home.

For help with any kind of pest control in the Denver area, from Boulder to Castle Rock, please contact Animal Pest Control Specialist today.