Officials Say Dry Weather is Leading to More Boxelder Bugs

(KNSI) – More people report seeing a larger number of boxelder bugs around their homes, but officials say not to worry. The insect is native to the state. Integrated Pest Management Educator at the University of Minnesota Extension Marissa Schuh says they’re not a serious problem.

“They don’t eat our houses. They don’t spread disease. They’re just kind of laying low they don’t harm plants we care about in a meaningful way they might make a squeamish but they’re just kind of maybe make you feel gross.”

She says boxelder bugs look for shelter in the winter and make their way outside when the weather warms up.

“We spend the winter kind of hunkered down in our houses. They’re almost hibernating. Maybe they wake up if we’re really cranking the heat because they feel that heat and they think it’s time to wake up. They’re starting to get a little bit more sunlight so they’re waking up. Maybe they were in the vinyl of our housing and now they’re wiggling their way out into their attic. And now we’re seeing them in our house but they’re just trying to make their way back outside.”

She says the insect swarms appear more frequently in dry years.

“extension offices across the state got a lot of calls about them last fall so I think it makes sense that we’re seeing a lot of calls about them this spring we do have anecdotal reports that they really like dry years we have people from the Dust Bowl complaining about these guys and that was another hot dry period just like we had last summer.”

She says if boxelders are getting into your home, use a vacuum to suck them up and look around your house for some kind of gap or crack where they’re getting inside.

Boxelder bugs are “true bugs” and belong to the same family as stink bugs, cicadas, and other insects with piercing and sucking mouths. They release a terrible odor when crushed.

For more information on boxelder bugs, click here.

She says the insect swarms appear more frequently in dry years.

She says if boxelders are getting into your home, use a vacuum to suck them up and look around your house for some kind of gap or crack where they’re getting inside.

Boxelder bugs are “true bugs” and belong to the same family as stink bugs, cicadas and other insects with piercing and sucking mouths. They release a bad odor when crushed.

For more information on boxelder bugs, click here.

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