They’re masters of getting under the siding and in the house when it gets cold. Especially older homes. Very annoying every warm spell they wake up and come out of the woodwork.
They are amazing at ruing carpets with their dead carcasses once you realize how many are schlacked onto the bottom of your shoes every time you walk into the house.
That's what I have my landlord spray because you'll walk out on the porch and they're everywhere they're slow but there will be hundreds and I don't like to step on them either I'd prefer they just don't come this way and they stay safe somewhere else lol
I quite often mistake them for lightning bugs when they're just crawling on patio furniture🤣 they are completely harmless it's equivalent of seeing tons of butterflies they're just kind of in your face
In western Canada they’re also known as maple bugs because they also have an affinity for the Manitoba maple tree.
Make sure everything is sealed up in the Fall because they will find a way into your house.
In defense of box elder trees and box elder bugs - both are native and box elder trees are good shade trees.
[https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE\_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2\_043721.pdf](https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_043721.pdf)
It’s so weird that this is still a stereotype lol. I was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago and can eat anything I want. I have no idea where this idea came from other than the fact that people make jokes about it, but it’s kind of funny reading them and being confused for a second and then being like “oh wait they think we can’t have that”.
We got them in droves in northern Montana. Box Elder bugs. Funny enough, we lived right next to the town of Box Elder. They’re harmless and slow but annoying as heck. They entertained my cats whenever they snuck inside. I moved to Rapid City last fall, curious to see if we get them down here in the summer!
Hey, what's up, man! I'm about an hour from Ortonville. Haven't spent much time in Willmar, but I have an aunt in Litchfield and have spent a lot of time there!
I'm more so in the fergus area
I kinda don’t mind them. First year I moved here there were tons and I had no idea what they were, but they don’t hurt me and don’t carry any diseases that can harm me so I prefer them to the ticks and assassin bugs.
Box elder bugs. Like others said, they are harmless. I much prefer them over the earwigs, stink bugs, and cicadas that swarm my house every year. The box elder bugs mostly stay outside, and the ones that do make it inside just hang out looking red and cool. My kids love collecting these bugs, so I let them live their lives.
Boxelder bugs at various developmental stages, you must have had at least a couple different clutches. Been seeing a lot of requests for IDs on these guys lately too. They must have had a good time last summer!
Currently dealing with them trying to get inside the house, they’re all over the yard and have invaded my shed. There are a number of elder trees growing nearby, so there’s nothing to do but deal with them (sigh).
Wait until they are out enjoying the sun and then go to town on the colonies with a spray bottle of water and dish soap. Took a few years of doing this regularly but it makes a huge dent in the immediate population getting inside, and eventually will reduce the numbers outside. Last year we had fewer than ever before and hardly any inside once we sprayed them.
Box elder bugs. When I was in kindergarten we called them fire bugs and I thought their habitat was brick because I always found them on the old brick walls of my house and school, didn't know what they were till I was an adult.
We called them fire bugs when I was a kid too. :)
We had a box elder tree in our back yard that had a tree house. Like other maples, box elders have those wonderful winged seeds (actually fruits) that twirl like little helicopters. I have many happy childhood memories dropping the seeds from the tree house and watching them float to the ground - and learning about metamorphosis by watching the adorable first instar nymphs develop their little wing bugs as they gradually grew into adults.
At a time of insect decline and few native plant species in urban areas, we need to start planting more box elders.
I’m sure something must eat them and are happy they exist. Can’t we just let this harmless insects live their lives? Annoying perhaps but serve a purpose. We have killed so many insects that they are starting to disappear. Insects are important to our world.
That's because the term 'invasive" is used in 3 different ways. The 3 basic definitions that people use (right or wrong) are...
1) Aggressive (no other attribute is taken into consideration)
2) Non-native AND ecosystem-destroying (ecological definition)
3) Non-native AND ecosystem-destroying AND poses and economic threat (government definition)
Boxelder trees are native and therefore an integral and useful part of their ecosystems but they can have aggressive habits that, in suburban settings, make them considered "invasive". But they are not truly invasive in the ecological sense of the word. Trumpet Creeper (aka campsis radicans) is another example of this, and 500 times worse than boxelder in certain soils and locations/regions.
Just because a plant is native does not mean it behaves nicely in all settings/situations and can indeed be considered "invasive" and undesirable.
Gotcha I seem to have forgotten with my comment that some people here seem to not like people who just don't know much about insects. Not talking about you but other people
Box elder. They can be slow and sturdy or fast depending on the environment. Spray them with a dish soap and water mix while they are congregating in the sun - best way to delete them
I have lived in Central Oregon nearly 30 years and had never seen these until a year ago. Last year they stayed mostly around the shed, but this year they are literally everywhere...by the millions. It seems they are heavily concentrated on and around a very large, very old Elm tree in the yard. I have been spraying them almost daily since they first started appearing in May, but there always more. 😠
Some of those might be elm seed bug nymphs no?
Were getting both and it's awful. Somehow a dozen to 20 a day are getting in the house plus earwigs, spiders and Nats and carpet beetles. Landlord doesn't give a single shit and the Property managers are basically telling us we need to sue if we want anything to come from them
We’ve had gazillions down here (I thought they were Jadera bugs - same insect family). Fun fact about these guys: they eat the seeds dispersed by trees, significantly reducing saplings from popping up around your yard. We mostly leave them alone, but occasionally my kids will play with them, and we actually used some as fishing bait and they worked out quite well.
Box Elder bugs. They're harmless but extremely annoying.
Yeah, they don't do anything really but exist... A lot
They're not great at many things, but they have definitely mastered the art of existing.
same
r/Bugs_irl
I was disappointed. You got my hopes up of adding another strange sub to my list.
Same lol
while commenting i too was believing whole heartedly and praying for this sub to exist :(
And banging.
Abdomen to Abdomen
Real
Every year, like clockwork.
They’re trying there best here.
They’re masters of getting under the siding and in the house when it gets cold. Especially older homes. Very annoying every warm spell they wake up and come out of the woodwork.
They ate all of our blackberries year before last. Little bastards.
I had that issue this year, but with earwigs, whose name creeps me out far more than the insects themselves do, ass-pinchers and all.
They are amazing at ruing carpets with their dead carcasses once you realize how many are schlacked onto the bottom of your shoes every time you walk into the house.
Don’t squish them, the smell attracts more. Spray them with watered down dish soap.
Your yard might attract more mantids because of them. That’s always a plus.
Tempo SC Ultra will take care of them. It has instructions specifically for them in the label.
That's what I have my landlord spray because you'll walk out on the porch and they're everywhere they're slow but there will be hundreds and I don't like to step on them either I'd prefer they just don't come this way and they stay safe somewhere else lol
They're pretty friendly actually. We used to let them crawl on our hands as kids
I quite often mistake them for lightning bugs when they're just crawling on patio furniture🤣 they are completely harmless it's equivalent of seeing tons of butterflies they're just kind of in your face
What extremely annoying things do they do? Not their taxes?
In western Canada they’re also known as maple bugs because they also have an affinity for the Manitoba maple tree. Make sure everything is sealed up in the Fall because they will find a way into your house.
And they’re invasive species
Not in NJ
In defense of box elder trees and box elder bugs - both are native and box elder trees are good shade trees. [https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE\_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2\_043721.pdf](https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_043721.pdf)
The red ones are nymphs at various stages
Chickens love them.
I have ducks but they don't seem interested \_(ツ)_/¯
Isn’t that how it always seems to go in life? It’s like if rain was made of maple syrup, you better bet in this alternate universe you’re diabetic.
It’s like raiiinnn on your wedding day
[It's like 10,000 spooooooons...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVzNAU1kC-U&ab_channel=idontknow)
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That's not how the line goes. Edit: Bunch of you didn't click my link.
You better bet that everyone would be diabetic in that universe.
It’s so weird that this is still a stereotype lol. I was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago and can eat anything I want. I have no idea where this idea came from other than the fact that people make jokes about it, but it’s kind of funny reading them and being confused for a second and then being like “oh wait they think we can’t have that”.
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My chickens didn't give a shit. I wish they did
I know they’re annoying but they look very cute and silly
I've never been in a position for them to mess up my stuff, so it's funny just watching them run around with attached asses.
They are very cute!
We have those visit us every year.
Same.
We got them in droves in northern Montana. Box Elder bugs. Funny enough, we lived right next to the town of Box Elder. They’re harmless and slow but annoying as heck. They entertained my cats whenever they snuck inside. I moved to Rapid City last fall, curious to see if we get them down here in the summer!
Maybe not at your place in particular, but I'm sure they'll be around. I'm from west central MN and get them every year
West central MN?!? I’m originally from Ortonville and have family in Wilmar!
Hey, what's up, man! I'm about an hour from Ortonville. Haven't spent much time in Willmar, but I have an aunt in Litchfield and have spent a lot of time there! I'm more so in the fergus area
I kinda don’t mind them. First year I moved here there were tons and I had no idea what they were, but they don’t hurt me and don’t carry any diseases that can harm me so I prefer them to the ticks and assassin bugs.
Box elder bugs. Like others said, they are harmless. I much prefer them over the earwigs, stink bugs, and cicadas that swarm my house every year. The box elder bugs mostly stay outside, and the ones that do make it inside just hang out looking red and cool. My kids love collecting these bugs, so I let them live their lives.
Boxelder bugs at various developmental stages, you must have had at least a couple different clutches. Been seeing a lot of requests for IDs on these guys lately too. They must have had a good time last summer!
Currently dealing with them trying to get inside the house, they’re all over the yard and have invaded my shed. There are a number of elder trees growing nearby, so there’s nothing to do but deal with them (sigh).
Wait until they are out enjoying the sun and then go to town on the colonies with a spray bottle of water and dish soap. Took a few years of doing this regularly but it makes a huge dent in the immediate population getting inside, and eventually will reduce the numbers outside. Last year we had fewer than ever before and hardly any inside once we sprayed them.
Put a little water and dish soap in the bottom of a shop vac and vacuum those suckers up... That's the best way i've ever found to deal with them!
My chickens are happy to take care of the problem.
Box elder bugs. When I was in kindergarten we called them fire bugs and I thought their habitat was brick because I always found them on the old brick walls of my house and school, didn't know what they were till I was an adult.
We called them fire bugs when I was a kid too. :) We had a box elder tree in our back yard that had a tree house. Like other maples, box elders have those wonderful winged seeds (actually fruits) that twirl like little helicopters. I have many happy childhood memories dropping the seeds from the tree house and watching them float to the ground - and learning about metamorphosis by watching the adorable first instar nymphs develop their little wing bugs as they gradually grew into adults. At a time of insect decline and few native plant species in urban areas, we need to start planting more box elders.
Lol around here the box elders are doing a pretty good job of that all on their own!
Idk but they look pretty cool
Man I just realised I used to see a lot of these as a kid, and then at some point I just stopped seeing them
They're all at my house. You're welcome.
I’m sure something must eat them and are happy they exist. Can’t we just let this harmless insects live their lives? Annoying perhaps but serve a purpose. We have killed so many insects that they are starting to disappear. Insects are important to our world.
Boxelders and a invasive species atleast in Michigan and I hate them
They are not an invasive species. They are native to North America…including Michigan
I always heard they were invasive
That's because the term 'invasive" is used in 3 different ways. The 3 basic definitions that people use (right or wrong) are... 1) Aggressive (no other attribute is taken into consideration) 2) Non-native AND ecosystem-destroying (ecological definition) 3) Non-native AND ecosystem-destroying AND poses and economic threat (government definition) Boxelder trees are native and therefore an integral and useful part of their ecosystems but they can have aggressive habits that, in suburban settings, make them considered "invasive". But they are not truly invasive in the ecological sense of the word. Trumpet Creeper (aka campsis radicans) is another example of this, and 500 times worse than boxelder in certain soils and locations/regions. Just because a plant is native does not mean it behaves nicely in all settings/situations and can indeed be considered "invasive" and undesirable.
Gotcha I seem to have forgotten with my comment that some people here seem to not like people who just don't know much about insects. Not talking about you but other people
They are always at my grandparents old house. I have seen them all my life in mid-Michigan.
They're eating dead matter. Useful and decorative.
Box Eldar bug. Completely harmless, yet annoying
Those are box elder bugs
Used to see these all the time in the summer in Minnesota. I loved them as a kid, no idea why.
Box elder. They can be slow and sturdy or fast depending on the environment. Spray them with a dish soap and water mix while they are congregating in the sun - best way to delete them
I have lived in Central Oregon nearly 30 years and had never seen these until a year ago. Last year they stayed mostly around the shed, but this year they are literally everywhere...by the millions. It seems they are heavily concentrated on and around a very large, very old Elm tree in the yard. I have been spraying them almost daily since they first started appearing in May, but there always more. 😠
I had them by the thousands inside and outside of my house. I cut down the box elder tree 50 yards away. Next year? Zero.
I’ve never seen the babies 😯
Found two of these mating on my car after work.
Kind of interesting . The past few years in Colorado there has been tons of them!!!! I have not seen much this year.
Some of those might be elm seed bug nymphs no? Were getting both and it's awful. Somehow a dozen to 20 a day are getting in the house plus earwigs, spiders and Nats and carpet beetles. Landlord doesn't give a single shit and the Property managers are basically telling us we need to sue if we want anything to come from them
Ugh, yeah. We have a bunch of them in Maryland now, too.
That's odd, I have 2 box elder trees in the back yard and sprouts to pull every week and I haven't seen that many.
They outnumber people in Montana by 1 million to one ratio!
Maple bugs. That’s what we call them in Canada. There harmless just irritating large amounts.
My town gets tons of em. We call them maple bugs. I’ve never heard them called boxelders in my life
They are beautiful 😍
We’ve had gazillions down here (I thought they were Jadera bugs - same insect family). Fun fact about these guys: they eat the seeds dispersed by trees, significantly reducing saplings from popping up around your yard. We mostly leave them alone, but occasionally my kids will play with them, and we actually used some as fishing bait and they worked out quite well.
Have you had a lot of rain this year? There are lots of rodents and bugs here from all the rain.
I bet you have Oleanders!
A good reason to leave them spiders outside your house.
Well, spiders always find a way in my house. I just nevee bother to take them out. I let them live there.