True Bugs
True bugs are a type of insect that has piercing-sucking parts to its face or mouth. These can have varying uses but are always meant to remove liquid from a plant or animal. Bed bugs, for example, are a member of the true bug variety and use their piercing-sucking parts to draw blood from mammals like humans. Aphids are also members of this group who use their piercing-sucking parts to drain vital fluids from plants like tree leaves. Either way, the insects of this group are parasitic organisms that cannot survive on their own, they must consume the vital fluids of other living things in order to survive.
Box elder bugs
Box elder bugs are indeed true bugs that, like aphids, consume vital fluids from trees. These bugs have piercing-sucking parts that they use to draw those fluids from trees and other plants. While this is their singular goal along with reproduction and is not interested in humans, at least not in their first season. Box elder bugs have two seasons. Once in the early spring and again in the mid-summer. The early spring is when they draw life from plants. They do this in the second season as well but it’s in the second season when they are a problem for humans.
Box elder bug dangers
Box elder bugs are not physically dangerous to humans. They are not poisonous, they do not attack or bite humans and lack any sort of mouth parts that can even do that. They are simply annoying and messy. When you crush one it makes a bad smell and when they are afraid they can excrete that same smell. They also leave a terrible stain when crushed so never crush them in your home as they will ruin your furniture and drapes and even your clothes.
Box elder bug treatment Natural
A natural treatment for box elder bugs can be sprayed all over your home and garden. It’s simple and natural and is called acetic acid, or vinegar for short. This chemical is easily accessible in grocery stores and dirt cheap. Spray it in a mixture of water, add some chilly powder for good measure and you will not have to worry about those bugs anymore
Box elder bug treatment commercial
If the situation is so bad that you cannot control it with natural treatments then you can always call a professional exterminator to do an exterior spray of your home during the second season of the box elder bugs. If you are seeing them inside as well they can also do a crawling insect treatment. This will kill them off and often comes with a warranty. So call and set up a visit to end your box elder bug woes.