Boxelder bugs will bite in self defense, and the bite will cause mild irritation, but boxelder bugs are mostly just a huge annoyance to Portland residents. These bugs love sunny spots to warm themselves and swarm in large numbers, so they will usually pick the west or south facing walls of your house. They usually don’t cause too much damage but their feces can stain your exterior walls, or interior drapes and furnishings. Boxelder bugs have an awful taste so they don’t have natural predators to thin their numbers, they also have a terrible smell so smashing them is not ideal. If your cat or dog decide to hunt and eat these bugs, they can cause your furry friend some belly discomfort or worse. It’s best to keep animals away if you have a swarm.
You can tell the boxelder bug by appearance. They are about a 1/2 inch long, with a black body, red edges and wings. So, what do they eat? They get their name because of their tree of choice, the boxelder. They will also invade ash and maple trees. So if you or your neighbors have any of these trees, you WILL be seeing these pests. Boxelder bugs enjoy the sap from these trees, but will also go after the leaves of your garden vegetables and sweet liquids in your house. Speaking of your house, besides covering the exterior walls in a disgusting bug blanket, when temperatures get colder they look to come inside or under siding to wait out the winter. They can get into any little crack, and once they nest it is extremely hard to get to them and even harder to get them out. Intervention from a trained pest control specialist would be the best course of action. Sasquatch Pest Control has the professionals that can find and eliminate a nest or provide preventative treatments to keep the swarm from invading your space. Call them today! 503.828.9492
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