Outdoor Pest Control - Box Elder Bugs - HELP!
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brinainlakeelmo
10-04-07, 07:30 AM
I'm looking for a solution/ repellent for Box Elder Bugs. I've lived in Minnesota since 1991, and am now in my 3rd home that is plagued by the Box Elder Bugs in the Fall. The last house I had, had a Box Elder tree in the front (West) yard. I chopped it down in 2003, and every year since, the problem diminished. We moved this past January, and it's even worse here (Lake Elmo) than it was in Afton. I haven't found the source (Box Elder tree), so it probably isn't on my property. What can I do about it?
Our house has wood siding, painted brown - the dark wood warms up with the sun on it (front of the house faces South), and the bugs are quite a nuissance in the afternoon!
I've had the shop vac out a few times, and have sucked up a couple thousand at least. I sprayed some poison on the siding that's supposed to kill them - that seemed to last a couple of days, and they returned almost as bad as before!
Help!
Our house has wood siding, painted brown - the dark wood warms up with the sun on it (front of the house faces South), and the bugs are quite a nuissance in the afternoon!
I've had the shop vac out a few times, and have sucked up a couple thousand at least. I sprayed some poison on the siding that's supposed to kill them - that seemed to last a couple of days, and they returned almost as bad as before!
Help!
twelvepole
10-04-07, 09:15 AM
Box elder bugs are a common nuisance. There is little one can do to eliminate them from the landscape. The important thing is to prevent the bugs from entering your home.
Make sure all possible gaps and entries on exterior of home are sealed to prevent infestation inside the home. Repeat applications of insecticide on exterior of home is helpful, paying particular attention to potential points of entry on the warmest sides of the structure (south & southwest sides). Spraying is best done in fall when the box elder bugs cluster and start looking for a place to overwinter on the exterior of your home.
Although box elder bugs will feed on other trees and plants, they are found in greater numbers where there are boxelder trees. The bugs will overwinter in cracks and crevices on the exterior of the house. If they find a way indoors, they become an interior pest where they can be vacuumed. On warm, sunny days in winter, box elder bugs can be found.
For additional information from the Cooperative Extension Service on box elder bugs, go to http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG0998.html Here there is a list of chemicals to look for on insecticide labels.
Make sure all possible gaps and entries on exterior of home are sealed to prevent infestation inside the home. Repeat applications of insecticide on exterior of home is helpful, paying particular attention to potential points of entry on the warmest sides of the structure (south & southwest sides). Spraying is best done in fall when the box elder bugs cluster and start looking for a place to overwinter on the exterior of your home.
Although box elder bugs will feed on other trees and plants, they are found in greater numbers where there are boxelder trees. The bugs will overwinter in cracks and crevices on the exterior of the house. If they find a way indoors, they become an interior pest where they can be vacuumed. On warm, sunny days in winter, box elder bugs can be found.
For additional information from the Cooperative Extension Service on box elder bugs, go to http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG0998.html Here there is a list of chemicals to look for on insecticide labels.
Newt
10-04-07, 05:44 PM
You can look for a product with boric acid or boron no. 10.
http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/boric_acid.html
Newt
http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/boric_acid.html
Newt
twelvepole
10-04-07, 05:45 PM
Soap and water solution is also effective for knocking box elder bugs in the head.
brinainlakeelmo
10-04-07, 09:01 PM
TwelvePole:
Thanks for that link to the University of Minnesota - Interesting and helpful!
As for the soap and water mixture, any particular brand/ type - dish soap, general purpose..... 50/50 mix?
Brian In Lake Elmo Minnesota
Thanks for that link to the University of Minnesota - Interesting and helpful!
As for the soap and water mixture, any particular brand/ type - dish soap, general purpose..... 50/50 mix?
Brian In Lake Elmo Minnesota
Buggman
10-08-07, 07:50 PM
Soapy water will only kill the box elder bugs you spray directly. For long term control when you're not around (like during the workday), use a contact residual insecticide.
http://www.xxxxxxxx.com
Plus, soapy water will not kill the other fall invader - the dreaded multi-colored Asian lady beetle. Buggslayer is the only insecticide EPA-registered to do that.
http://www.xxxxxxxx.com
Plus, soapy water will not kill the other fall invader - the dreaded multi-colored Asian lady beetle. Buggslayer is the only insecticide EPA-registered to do that.
ecman51`
10-24-07, 06:28 PM
WHY does the soap water work? I have been using this for several years now on box elders, but find it can kill other insects also. Does anyone know of a list out there that shows all the bugs soap water can kill? (Much more economical than bug kliller and most likely safer as well.) Yesterday it also killed a giant cricket! It only made it a few inches before burying it's head in the rockbed and that was that.
twelvepole
10-25-07, 05:01 PM
1 to 2 tablespoons liquid soap
1 quart water
Many find plain old dish liquid effective. You can, however, purchase insecticidal soap at garden centers.
Why does soap work? I'd imagine because soap coats the exoskeleton and prevents breathing (oxygen reaching cells).
1 quart water
Many find plain old dish liquid effective. You can, however, purchase insecticidal soap at garden centers.
Why does soap work? I'd imagine because soap coats the exoskeleton and prevents breathing (oxygen reaching cells).
klt
10-30-07, 08:25 PM
We moved into our new house two years ago not knowing that, not one, but two boxelder trees are right next to our house. Drove us crazy with those bugs. We decided to make ourselves less crazy and we called Bugbusters Pest Extermination (they've been bought be some other outfit so they have another name). They come out twice in the late summer and late fall. The first time they came they sprayed the whole house and then just spread some kind of killer around the perimeter of the house right next to it. This has cut down our problem dramatically and it is worth the money which I think is about $300 a year. Yea, it's expensive, but worth it to us.