Sign-in to Account
Call Us

(855) 948-5816

aptive-registered-logo-white

Find Service Area

How to Help Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs in Your St. Louis Home

Written by Aptive Environmental April 26, 2021

Sometimes it’s hard to feel like pests that aren’t dangerous are worth dealing with. You think, “Eh, it’s just a boxelder bug. No big deal.” And honestly, you’d be right. A boxelder bug here and there isn’t a big deal. You can catch it, let it go, and move on with your day. 

But then you walk outside one day to find a whole horde of them camped out on the side of your house, fighting with each other to get inside where it’s warm and sheltered. And just like that – boxelder bugs are a big deal. Even though they aren’t dangerous, no one wants to deal with a crowd of bugs like that. It’s not like you invited them to come over, after all. 

Your local St. Louis pest control companies can help you a lot when you have boxelder bug problems, but there are some things you can do to prevent and get rid of boxelder bugs too. Here are some simple tips to get you started:

Try Preventing Boxelder Bugs First

The best thing you can do as a homeowner is to prevent pests from coming inside in the first place. Of course, sometimes all the prevention in the world still doesn’t stop certain pests, but most of the time your prevention efforts will do a lot to protect your home.

There are simple things you can do to keep boxelder bugs out of your home. The most important thing to do is seal up any and all cracks in your home that a boxelder bug could fit through. Because boxelder bugs are small and flat, they can fit through smaller cracks than you might expect. So if there are cracks that you aren’t sure are a problem or not, it’s best to just go ahead and seal them off. 

The next best thing you can do is hire St. Louis pest control to give your home a preventative pest treatment. That treatment can make a big difference in the number of pests that come into your home, and that includes boxelder bugs. The treatment will often kill the boxelder bugs before they ever have the chance to come inside. 

How to Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs in St. Louis

Sometimes, even when you’ve tried preventing boxelder bugs, you still run into problems. Maybe you missed a crack in your home, maybe your pest treatment is wearing off, or maybe there’s just something in your yard or house that’s really attractive to boxelder bugs. Whatever the reason, when they do show up in big groups, it’s time to get rid of them. Here’s how you can do that:

1. Pull Out the Vacuum

It’s amazing how a vacuum can become your best friend when pests are around. You can use your vacuum to get rid of random boxelder bugs or crowds of them. Use the hose to suck them up, then immediately close off the vacuum bag and throw it away. The vacuum cleans up the bugs well, but it doesn’t always kill them, so throwing away the vacuum bag will keep the boxelder bugs from crawling out of the vacuum and into your home. 

Be careful when you go to vacuum up the boxelder bugs that you don’t startle them too much or they might start flying around before you can vacuum them up. If they scatter like this, they will eventually regroup and find a place to gather again.  

2. Keep Boxelder Bugs from Gathering

If you see boxelder bugs gathering in your yard or home, do your best to break up the gathering. If you’re outside, you can simply spray them with water. It won’t kill them, but it will break up their party. Vacuuming, of course, is a good option inside.

After you break up their gathering, wash the area to get rid of any pheromones the boxelder bugs left behind. They leave these pheromones to help other boxelder bugs find good gathering places, so getting rid of the pheromones will help prevent more boxelder bugs from showing up right away. 

Breaking up boxelder bug gatherings is important because they gather like that when they’re getting ready for winter. The groups will move into a home or other structure to hide out for the winter and then reemerge in the spring. But if you get rid of these groups, the bugs will struggle to gather in time or they will find somewhere other than your home to hide in. 

3. Mix Water and Dish Soap

If you want a safe way to kill boxelder bugs, look no further than your kitchen. When killing boxelder bugs, you should not squish them. If you squish them, they give off a gross smell that attracts bugs to your home that could cause damage to your furniture, carpets, etc. Plus, boxelder bugs often leave behind a red stain if squished. 

Instead, you can mix water and dish soap together and spray the boxelder bugs with it. This can kill individual bugs. It can be used on groups of boxelder bugs as well, but it may not kill all of them. However, it will kill some of the bugs, so it can still be worth using. But it won’t be as effective at getting rid of them as St. Louis pest control would be. 

4. Assess Your Yard

Boxelder bugs get their name because they like female boxelder trees. Mostly, they like to eat the seeds from the trees. The problem is, if you have a female boxelder tree in your yard, it will attract more boxelder bugs to your yard. And if the tree is near your home, it could lead the boxelder bugs straight to your home. You can replace these trees to discourage the bugs, or even just trim them back so they aren’t as close to your home. 

5. Call St. Louis Pest Control

When you get large numbers of boxelder bugs in or around your home, it becomes a lot harder to get rid of the bugs. And there’s a good chance it means that your preventative pest treatment isn’t up to date. You’ll want to reach out to St. Louis pest control to help you get rid of the masses of boxelder bugs and update your preventative pest control. Very soon, with their help, your home won’t be hosting hundreds of uninvited guests.

Curated articles for you, from our pest experts.

A Cozy Living Room Decorated For Christmas, Featuring A Stone Fireplace Adorned With Stockings And A Brightly Lit Christmas Tree Surrounded By Neatly Wrapped Presents.

How to Keep Pests Out of Your Holiday Decorations

The holiday season is a time of joy, warmth, and festive décor. But as you deck the halls, unwelcome pests can find your decorations just as inviting. Whether your ornaments are on display or tucked away in storage, these tips will help you enjoy your holidays...

Nov 25, 2024
A Snow-Covered Suburban Landscape Featuring A Two-Story White House With A Red Front Door And A Wreath. Snow-Laden Evergreen Trees Frame The Scene, Creating A Picturesque Winter Setting.

How to Protect Your Home With These Winter Pest Control Tips

As temperatures drop, your home becomes a prime target for cold-weather pests looking for warmth. Common intruders like rodents, spiders, and cockroaches seek shelter inside houses during winter. Effective winter pest control is essential to keep these pests out...

Nov 22, 2024
Modern Basement Interior With Light Beige Walls, Dark Wood Flooring, And A Cozy Seating Area Featuring A White Armchair And A Patterned Rug Next To A Stylish Staircase With Wooden Railings.

5 Common Insects in the Basement and How to Handle Them

If you feel like your basement is being overrun by bugs or insects, you're not alone. Common insects such as spiders, centipedes, and beetles are frequently found in these spaces. The insects found here are attracted to dark, humid environments and away from the...

Nov 22, 2024
Four Outdoor Garbage Bins In Blue, Brown, Gray, And Green Placed Side By Side, Marked With The Number 23. The Bins Are Against A Red Wooden Fence With Gardening Tools Resting Inside One Of The Bins.

What Attracts Pests to Your Garbage and How to Keep Them Away

If you’ve ever struggled with cockroaches, flies, or rats, you know how frustrating it can feel when they seem to have a secret invitation to your garbage. These pests are often drawn to food residue, moisture, and even strong odors emanating from your trash....

Nov 22, 2024
A Modern, Two-Story House With A Gray And White Exterior, Illuminated By Warm Interior Lights At Dusk, Showcasing A Clean Driveway And A Small Front Yard.

Household Pests That Thrive During Rainy Seasons

When the weather turns wet, it’s not just humans who seek shelter—many pests take advantage of the moisture and humidity. Rainy season pests can cause serious problems for homeowners, from mosquitoes breeding in standing water to ants invading kitchens in search of...

Nov 20, 2024
Brown Rat Perched On A Stone Ledge, Surrounded By Green Foliage, With A Focused Expression And Vibrant Background.

3 Reasons Why it’s Important to Act Fast to Get Rid of Pests

You've spotted pests in your home—maybe a trail of ants, a mouse in the garage, or a few cockroaches in the kitchen. Your first reaction might be to ignore it, hoping the problem will go away on its own. But that's a mistake. In this article, we'll explore three...

Nov 19, 2024
Modern Basement Interior With Light Beige Walls, Dark Wood Flooring, And A Cozy Seating Area Featuring A White Armchair And A Patterned Rug Next To A Stylish Staircase With Wooden Railings.

How to Keep Pests Out of Your Home

There’s nothing quite like the peace of a well-maintained home. But that peace can be disrupted when pests find their way indoors. Whether it’s ants marching through the kitchen, spiders taking up residence in your home, or mice scurrying in the attic, pests are...

Nov 18, 2024
A Warm Evening View Of A Modern Home, Looking Through Large Windows Into A Kitchen Where A Family Of Four Is Gathered Around A Kitchen Island. Outside, The Patio Area Is Surrounded By Lush Greenery And Outdoor Furniture.

Top 10 Move-In Checklist Items for New Homeowners

Moving into a new home is an exciting milestone, marking the start of a fresh chapter in life. However, once the thrill of unpacking subsides, the reality of settling in and organizing your new space kicks in. To ensure a smooth transition and establish a...

Nov 15, 2024

Take back your home with pest control today.