![]() They do this because they are naturally attracted to the warmth from inside of the home, and will frequently take advantage of any exterior damage, open vents, or unsealed windows or doors to gain entry into the home. During late autumn, the boxelder bugs will mass around the outsides of homes or other buildings and attempt to find an access point to enter into the home. ![]() These eggs hatch within a few days and release the nymphs, who grow into adulthood during the summer. The lifecycle of boxelder bugs begins in the springtime, when the female boxelder bugs lay eggs inside of the bark of trees. This causes little damage to the tree in small amounts, however larger populations can cause branch growth defects and a yellowish discoloration on the leaves. True to their name, boxelder bugs will feed on the boxelder tree, consuming the soft parts of the tree such as the stems, leaves, and flowers. While the nymphs are frequently found nearer to the ground, the adults will often be found on trees or on the exterior of the home. They are black in coloration and have distinct orange or red stripes on their bodies. The adult boxelder bugs are much larger than the nymphs, growing to around 1/2 an inch in length. Their presence is a sign of an active population of adult boxelder bugs. The red bugs that many homeowners find are the developing nymphs. They are common throughout most of North America, and are particularly prevalent in the warm climates of the Southeast. Eastern boxelder bug (Boisea trivittata) on a white backgroundīoxelder bugs are a type of beetle. These are often misidentified as ticks, but typically these pests are in fact boxelder bug nymphs. Often when these areas are disturbed they reveal thousands of the red bugs swarming beneath. Recently, we have received calls from homeowners who report finding clusters of tiny, red bugs around pine straw or mulch. Boxelder Bugs The spring season is rapidly approaching, and while it brings beautiful days and warm weather to Georgia, it is also notorious for bringing a variety of pests along as well.
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