IPM SUMMARY

Common and Scientific Names of Insect:

   Common Name: Boxelder Bug

   Scientific Name: Boisea (=Leptocoris trivittata (Say) Hemiptera: Family Lygaeidae. Generally distributed throughout most urban and rural areas of the eastern U.S. to Nevada. Another species, the western boxelder bug, B. rubrolineata Barber occurs in CA and OR. Both attack pistillate, not staminate trees of ash, maple and boxelder.

Identifying Characteristics for Damaging Stage(s): Adults 0.5 inch long, dark brownish grey to black with red markings, and with three bright red lines running lengthwise on the thorax. Reddish veins on wings. Flattened insect, forewings overlap on the back. Nymphs are wingless, solid bright red in initial stages, later stages have black markings. Total of five molts.

 Description of Damage: Identification of Damage/Nature and Symptoms : Sap-sucking insect with piercing-sucking mouthparts. Normally causes little or no damage to host trees or to plants in the home. BE bugs can and do bite people, but this is unusual. Rarely may kill twigs, leaves, etc. of boxelder and ash. Can cause deformed fruit (apples, cherry, pear, peach, plum, grape and even potato). In homes, BE bugs can stain draperies, clothes, furniture, or paper with fecal spots. As a Lygaeid, they possess stink glands and have a croton-like odor when crushed.

Summary of Life Cycle: BE bugs winter as adults in protected places, often in attics and wall voids, other protected places, hollow trees, barns and outbuildings, leaf piles, walls, etc. Often emerge to sun themselves on warm winter days. Prefer light colored vertical surfaces. Hosts are female boxelder and maple trees, sometimes ash. Like to feed on pistillate trees, seeds of which collect in windrows adjacent to homes. Also feed on leaves, stems and tender twigs. Thousands of nymphs may develop from reddish eggs laid in cracks and crevices in bark. Eggs are laid in spring, hatch 2 weeks after laying, with a second batch in late summer. Two generations per year in southern U.S., one in north. Adults fly to south sides of homes in autumn, persisting outdoors until weather cools, then entering through cracks.

Management Techniques:

   Scouting Methods: Periodic examination of boxelder and ash trees and seeds accumulated along foundations for presence of nymphs and adults.

   Non-Chemical Management Strategies: Best strategy is to avoid planting BE bug susceptible trees such as boxelder, maple, ash, etc. Plant male trees (staminate) propagated by cuttings. Pick up seeds around house. Seal and caulk around windows, chimneys, and door frames. Use pyrethrins or simple fly swatter inside homes to kill bugs or a vacuum cleaner to remove them.

   Chemical Management Strategies: Chemical management not often practical to control this nuisance pest. If desired, however, Orthene, diazinon and carbaryl (Sevin) should provide control.

References:

Metcalf, C. L., W. P. Flint and R. L. Metcalf. 1962. Destructive and Useful Insects. 4th Ed.: McGraw-Hill Book Co., New York NY. 1087 p.