Boxelder Bug
Boisea trivittata
About the boxelder bug
Boxelder bugs are the striking black-and-red-orange bugs that gather in large numbers on sunny exterior walls in fall, looking for somewhere warm to overwinter. They feed on boxelder, maple, and ash trees — harmless plant feeders — but they're a nuisance pest when they cluster by the dozens and try to push inside through cracks. They can stain fabrics and curtains with droppings. The fix is sealing exterior cracks before fall and vacuuming any clusters that appear.
Quick ID
11–14 mm black body with three red-orange stripes on thorax and red wing veins.
In the Triangle
A predictable fall nuisance across Triangle neighborhoods with boxelder and maple trees.
Think you have boxelder bugs?
Free inspection from a licensed Castle Exterminators technician — Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Cary & the Triangle. We'll confirm the species and recommend a treatment plan.
Request Free Inspection (919) 606-8686
