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Boxelder Bug — species photo
Daniel Brady · NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664

How to Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs

DIY-friendly
To get rid of boxelder bugs, seal gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and foundation or siding cracks before they seek winter shelter, focusing on south- and west-facing walls where they cluster, and vacuum indoor strays rather than crushing or sweeping them, which can leave staining fecal spots on fabric and walls. In Manchester, seal before the average first hard frost, roughly October 19–29. A soapy-water spray can knock down outdoor aggregations on siding, and a timed exterior treatment may help homes near seed-bearing boxelder maples, but indoor sprays aren't recommended. Boxelder bugs are harmless: no bite, no disease, no structural damage.

At a glance

  • Difficulty: Beginner
  • Time: A weekend of sealing in late summer; ongoing vacuuming through fall
  • Cost: Low — caulk, screen, and a vacuum
  • Success: Good for keeping most out with well-timed fall sealing; homes with nearby boxelder or other maples will see some every year
The honest answer

Can you DIY Boxelder Bug?

The verdict on Boxelder Bug DIY

DIY-friendlyBeginner

A beginner-friendly DIY — technique matters more than difficulty.

The boxelder bug (Boisea trivittata) feeds mainly on female, seed-bearing boxelder maples in summer and seeks overwintering shelter on sun-exposed walls each fall. It doesn't bite people or damage the structure — the only real complication is that its fecal spots can stain curtains and walls, so avoiding crushing or aggressive sweeping matters. Sealing gaps before fall and vacuuming indoor strays handle a typical home without a pro.

The playbook

The 5 DIY methods — honestly graded

Every approach graded for this species, in IPM order — prevention first, chemistry late. Pick a method to see how it works, the steps, and what it actually takes.

Prevention / Exclusion

Works well

The most durable fix — works when done BEFORE the fall push; does nothing once bugs are already inside.

Boxelder bugs cluster on sun-exposed walls in fall and squeeze through small gaps to overwinter. Closing those gaps ahead of that seasonal push is what reduces next year's numbers.

Best for: Reducing the annual fall invasion

  1. Seal gaps before the fall push

    Caulk gaps around windows, doors, and pipes, and seal foundation and siding cracks, prioritizing south- and west-facing exposures where they cluster.

    Tip
    Do this work in late summer to early fall, before the ~Oct 19–29 first hard frost in Manchester.
    Caution
    Proximity to seed-bearing boxelder maples raises pressure regardless of sealing quality.

Tools & materials

Caulk and caulking gunScreen repair kit
Before you start
Timing is everything — this is a late-summer job, not a December one.
Reality check

Why DIY falls short here

Not scare tactics — the specific, proportionate reasons a home attempt can stall for this species.

Nearby host trees re-pressure the home

Homes near seed-bearing female boxelder maples (or other maples/ash) get re-supplied with bugs every year regardless of sealing quality — expect recurring bugs, not zero.

Staining from crushing or aggressive sweeping

Fecal spots from crushed or roughly-handled bugs stain curtains, walls, and carpet, which is why gentle vacuuming or soapy water beats swatting.

Sealing after entry

Sealing done after bugs have entered wall voids misses the ones already inside for that season — the window that matters is before the fall push.

Straight talk

How risky is it, really?

An honest read — most nuisance species are genuinely low risk, and we say so.

Low risk

Boxelder bugs are harmless overwintering visitors, not a health threat. They don't bite, carry disease, or damage the structure. The real nuisance is fecal-spot staining from crushing or aggressive handling.

  • Fecal-spot staining on curtains, walls, and carpetOccasional

    Mainly from crushing or rough sweeping — vacuum or use soapy water instead

    University of Wisconsin Horticulture

  • Bite, sting, or disease transmissionRare

    Not documented — boxelder bugs do not bite people to feed and carry no known disease risk

    UNH Cooperative Extension

  • Structural damageRare

    They feed on boxelder maple seeds, not building materials, and cause no structural harm

    National Pesticide Information Center

When to call a pro

Tired of the Annual Boxelder Bug Invasion?

Sealing a home surrounded by maples is a bigger job than it looks. Anchor Pest Services handles exclusion and correctly-timed exterior treatment across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Call a pro when…

  • Year after year of heavy fall invasions despite your own sealing
  • Entry points you can't safely reach (high soffits, multi-story fascia)
  • You want a timed exterior barrier applied correctly in the pre-entry window

General Pest Control

You rarely need a pro for boxelder bugs — this is a seal-and-vacuum job. The exception is a home near heavy boxelder or maple cover under recurring heavy pressure where a correctly-timed exterior barrier is worth the labor savings.

Get a Free inspection(603) 785-0118

Keep them out

  • Seal exterior gaps before the first hard frost (~mid-to-late October in Manchester)
  • Prioritize south- and west-facing walls where bugs cluster
  • Vacuum, don't crush, to avoid fecal-spot staining
New Hampshire context

Boxelder bugs in New Hampshire

New Hampshire's abundant maple cover, including boxelder maples, gives this species plenty of summer feeding habitat before it seeks winter shelter each fall. The move indoors lines up with Manchester's average first hard frost, roughly October 19–29 (NOAA), making late summer through early October the window for sealing.

Peak season

Fall, just before the first hard frost

First-frost anchor

Manchester first hard frost ~Oct 19 (50%) / Oct 29 (80%), NOAA 1991–2020

Before you treat

Make sure it's a Boxelder Bug

Two quick detours worth taking — confirm the ID, then learn what drew it in so it doesn't come back.

Not sure it's this?

Identify Boxelder Bug in the Pest Library

Why is it here?

What actually attracts Boxelder Bug

Common questions

Frequently asked

Sources & further reading(3)
  1. [1]
    University of Wisconsin Horticulture — Boxelder Bug (Boisea trivittatus)

    Biology, host-tree association, fecal staining, control recommendations

    extensionverified 2026-07-13
  2. [2]
    UNH Cooperative Extension — Boxelder Bug Fact Sheet

    NH-relevant biology and control guidance

    extensionverified 2026-07-13
  3. [3]
    National Pesticide Information Center — Boxelder Bugs

    Harmless-to-humans status, chemical control notes

    govverified 2026-07-13

Written & reviewed by

Verified

Daniel Brady

NH-Licensed Pesticide Applicator · License #782664 (NHDAMF, RSA 430)

Daniel Brady is the New Hampshire–licensed applicator behind Anchor Pest Services, a family-owned pest control company serving the Manchester area since 2017.

Verify license

Last updated July 2026

More in Household & Occasional Invaders

Other species you can tackle

Same category — the dot shows each one's DIY verdict at a glance (green = friendly, amber = doable with care, red = call a pro).

Professional Pest Control

Tired of the Annual Boxelder Bug Invasion?

Sealing a home surrounded by maples is a bigger job than it looks. Anchor Pest Services handles exclusion and correctly-timed exterior treatment across southern and central New Hampshire. Family-owned since 2017, NH license #782664.

Get a Free inspection(603) 785-0118
  • Timed pre-frost exclusion
  • NH-licensed applicators (#782664)
  • Free inspection — same-day service across southern NH

NH License #782664 · No obligation · We answer in person

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