Stink Bug & Box Elder Beetle Identification & Prevention

Stink bugs and box elder beetles are both insects that are often mistaken for each other. Indeed, they do have a lot in common. They both have an oval shape, flat backs, piercing and sucking mouthparts, and a stinky smell when crushed or disturbed.

However, there are some marked differences between these two bugs. For one thing, stink bugs have a very distinctive shield shape, and they are often either brown or bright green. Box elder beetles are more oblong and typically black with orange or red markings.

Neither of these pests is considered dangerous. They cannot sting, they don't have any venom, and they don't spread disease or destroy your home. This makes them a nuisance pest. On the other hand, you will forget all about them not being dangerous when you get a stink bug or box elder beetle infestation. These bugs often invade homes in massive numbers, stinking them up and crawling all over everything.

A lot of times, you wind up with a box elder beetle or stink bug invasion because these pests were looking for a place to set up shop for the winter, and they found your house. Both of these insects have to ride out the frigid upstate New York winters in sheltered environments to survive. They are often attracted to the warmth of your house, and when they emerge for the spring, they usually can't find their way back outside. You may also see them swarming on your walls during the fall as they prepare for the cold.

Both stink bugs and box elder beetles prefer to stay outside when it's warm. In your yard, you may find them feeding on their favorite plants. Box elder beetles feed mostly on the seeds and leaves of box elder maples. Meanwhile, stink bugs are less picky. They will suck the juice out of plants, including:

• Weeds
• Flowers
• Grass
• Fruits
• Veggies
• Beans

This means if you have a vegetable garden or fruit trees, you may attract more stink bugs.

The bad news is that home pest control and commercial pest control are not easy if you already have an active infestation. You may have thousands of these little bugs crawling all over the inside of your house, trying to get outside in the spring, or swarming all over the outside, trying to get inside in the fall.

The good news is you don't have to take an infestation of these stinky pests lying down. Here at Gannon Pest Control, pests can't stand up to our stink bug and box elder beetle treatments. So don't go it alone. Call us to the rescue!

Controlling stink bugs and box elder beetles is a lot easier if you preemptively do it instead of trying to hit infestations after the fact. One of the best things you can do to prevent these bugs is to make your home as impenetrable as possible. They are always going to want to get in out of the cold. But filling cracks and holes in the exterior can go a long way towards encouraging them to move on. And if even that doesn't work, we can always kick these little home invaders to the curb for you here at Gannon Pest Control. Our annual protection plan includes all insects except bed bugs, fleas, and roaches. Call today to find out more or schedule a service for your home.