Pest Control & Wildlife Removal in Lavallette, NJ

The transition into fall brings cooler temperatures, and the cooler weather is a trigger for numerous types of bugs and beetles start looking for a warm and dry harborage (our homes!) in which to overwinter and escape the harsh outdoor elements. One of the more common unwanted overwintering nuisance invaders is the Boxelder bug. These bugs are so-named because these they are a common pest of female seed-bearing boxelder tree. Often, when I tell a customer that they have a boxelder bug infestation and I explain that a “boxelder” is a type of tree, the usual response is that they never heard of that type of tree let alone have one on their property — and unless you are an arborist, most of us could not identify a boxelder tree even if one of its tree limbs fell on us! Even though these bugs feed primarily on the seeds of boxelder trees, they are not selective. These bugs have no issues infesting maple and ash trees, which are more commonly found. When overwintering, these pests often invade structures by the hundreds. They find their way inside by pushing through every available crack or crevice they can find. Although these bugs do not breed inside, their sheer numbers can be overwhelming to the occupants.

While performing my monthly service on one of my commercial accounts, I observed many Boxelder bugs on and around the building.
 
Boxelder bugs have similar behavior to the dreaded sting bug. Both seek to overwinter in warm, dry areas of a home or building. A favorite area of infestation of overwintering bugs is the attic where they like to tuck themselves under the insulation away from view.

The best way to control these pests is by taking preventative steps to exclude them from getting inside the structure in the first place. All cracks around the building should be caulked and any visible entry points should be sealed. However, despite taking these steps, these persistent bugs can still weasel their way inside. It is virtually impossible to make a building completely impermeable to insects. With this commercial customer, there was a heavy active infestation despite taking precautions. I applied a treatment around the building’s exterior perimeter of the structure to repel as many of these unwanted invaders as possible. The treatment substantially reduced the boxelder bug population, and this customer will experience far fewer bugs inside the structure.