Common Problems Caused By Box Elder Bugs In Longmont

Box elder bugs are one of those pests that Longmont residents have to watch out for. These bugs spend most of the year practically unnoticed out in the wild feeding and living on box elder, ash, and maple trees. The nymphs and adult stages of this bug will feed by removing fluid from the leaves of these trees causing yellowing and other damage to flowers, tender twigs, and seeds; but the trouble for Longmont homeowners begins in the fall when box elder bugs congregate on the south side of homes, buildings, and other surfaces in an attempt to find a place to comfortably sleep the winter away.

When these gatherings occur each fall, the sheer number of bugs can be disconcerting for most. They will gather by the thousands; and if they find gaps or cracks in your foundation and utility entrances or gaps around doors and windows to exploit, they will soon be nestled inside your home. It is quite certain that you do not want to spend your entire winter shut inside your home with thousands of box elder bugs leaving their excrement on walls, furniture, clothing, and other items within your home and providing a food source for spiders and other, more harmful, insect-eating pests, drawing them into your home as well. When dealing with box elder bugs, it is worth considering the fact that if they have found a way inside your home, other pests probably have too. This means that you may be unintentionally harboring spiders, roaches, and even mice who pose a much greater risk to the safety of your home and family.

Box elder bug prevention tips

There are some practical safeguards that you can put in place to help deter box elder bugs from entering your home. You should:

• Seal cracks and gaps around windows, doors, and utility entrances.
• Seal gaps in siding, around chimneys, and under any loose wooden fascia using silicone or a silicone-latex caulk.
• Repair or replace damaged screens on door and windows and make sure that all exterior doors have door sweeps applied.

What not to do 

You will not want to apply DIY pesticide sprays inside your home because they can be dangerous when not mixed properly or when used in confined spaces; and even if you could make these DIY products reach deep inside wall voids, killing box elder bugs inside your walls without addressing the other insect populations may only result in creating an easy food supply for spiders, carpet beetles, and more.

How to get rid of box elder bugs in and around your Longmont home

When dealing with box elder bug populations in and around your Longmont home, it is best to call in a licensed pest control specialist like those here at EnviroPest. Our highly trained and experienced technicians use a multi-level approach when dealing with insects that will not only eradicate these pests, but will also address entry points and conditions that draw them in. When you sign up for a year-round residential pest control plan with EnviroPest, you can count on us to keep box elder bugs and other common household pests out of your home.

Let EnviroPest help you achieve and maintain a pest-free home!