Boxelder Bugs – Prevention

Q: Every year I have an invasion of boxelder bugs from the boxelder maples on the other side of my fence. Is there anything I can do to prevent them?

A: Like kudzu bugs and Asian ladybeetles, boxelder bugs instinctively congregate on house walls in fall. Given a crack to crawl through, they overwinter in wall cavities and may find their way into your home. None are harmful to humans except for the aggravation factor. You can kill them with any garden insecticide as soon as you see them in late summer.