Ever since the start of fall, boxelder bugs have invaded all across Lakeville. They swarm around buildings and homes covering them in a blanket of boxelder bugs. Here at Lakeville South, our walls are lined with them, and if you dare to get close they will buzz all around you. Normally, they are not this invasive and don’t cause this much of a problem. So why are they here now and what can we do about them?

Boxelders can be identified by their oval shape and their classic orange markings. They first emerge in the spring, but their numbers are so low that they are barely noticeable. It’s during the fall, when the temperatures start to get cooler that their numbers multiply exponentially.

In an interview with Kare11, Erin Buchholz, an integrated pest management specialist with the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, said “Our nights are getting colder. They’re nearing the portion of their lifecycle where they need to be warm, so they will actually seek out buildings”.

Ok so how do we get rid of them?

Boxelders can be annoying, especially when there’s a lot more than just a few of them. But one thing to remember is boxelders aren’t harmful in any way. They won’t damage your home, They won’t sting, bite, or transmit any disease. They won’t cause damage to any plants or flowers like the infamous Japanese beetles do. Boxelders are just nuisance pests, so nothing to worry about.

When dealing with boxelders, prevention is the best measure to take. Keeping your doors sealed and windows tightly closed will prevent them from getting into your house.

If the infestation is already a problem it’s quite easy to deal with them. Just grab a vacuum and suck them up and release them outside. Otherwise, another option is to call pest control, they will have them gone in no time.

Boxelders can be super annoying but it’s good to remember that they aren’t harmful whatsoever. And don’t worry too much about them, they will be taking off as soon as winter hits.