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As the weather cools in Colorado Springs, homeowners are starting to notice an unwanted group of red-and-black bugs congregating on warm walls and sneaking into cracks between window frames. Those are boxelder bugs, and they want a place to spend the winter, preferably your house. Since Colorado Springs is at an elevation of 6,035 feet, our cooler fall temperatures cause these insects to hibernate earlier than they would in lower-elevation cities. They mark curtains with their stain, give off an unpleasant odor when disturbed, and provoke anxiety in anyone discovering hundreds of them in their home. For severe infestations, Saela Pest Control can provide a more permanent solution rather than a temporary remedy.
What Are Boxelder Bugs?
Boxelder bugs, which are about half an inch long, have black bodies with red or orange lines on their wings. Their name is derived from their preferred food source, boxelder trees, which are abundant throughout the neighborhoods of Colorado Springs. In warmer months, these bugs will also feed on maple and ash trees. Having spent spring and summer outside, they become a domestic nuisance in cooler weather. The pests do not breed inside your home, nor do they harm your buildings, but they can remain within your walls for months or even a year. Female boxelder bugs are a bit larger than males, but even if they appear awkward crawling on your windowsills, they are powerful fliers.
Why Boxelder Bugs Swarm Homes in the Fall?
Fall in Colorado Springs is marked by wide daily temperature fluctuation: Warm afternoons, frozen nights. These surges cause boxelder bugs to enter survival mode. These insect pests are cold-blooded, so they cannot survive the harsh Colorado winters without some protection. Once daytime temps consistently drop below 70°F here from late September through early October, boxelder bugs begin their long walk toward heated buildings. South and west-facing walls become congregation points because they ooze warmth, which attracts them.
Where will you spot them most often?
- Sunny exterior walls: The south and west sides of your home harbor the most significant numbers, particularly on warm fall afternoons
- Window frames and sills: Also a weak entry point, and warmth from consuming heat
- Attics and wall voids: After entering, these bugs find hemmed-up spots to hide for the winter
- Around doors and foundations: Cracks in the ground and openings under doorways are highways for bug traffic
- Near boxelder and maple trees: If you have these trees in your yard, you can expect to see more bugs within 100 feet of them.
Why Professional Help Makes the Difference?
Homeowners may attempt DIY fixes such as vacuuming bugs up or applying off-the-shelf insecticides, but these options only deal with the visible insects. The solution is hiding on the inside of your walls. At Saela Pest Control, we understand the unique boxelder bug problems residents of Colorado Springs face. They have targeted treatments to create barriers before bugs enter homes by treating the exterior perimeter at peak invasion times. They seal entry points and treat where the bugs gather, not just where you see a few stragglers.
Conclusion
Boxelder bugs are a fact of life for many Colorado Springs residents, but you can find a way to not live with them indoors for the winter. Recognizing their actions when swarmed, when invaded, and when they hide allows you to respond more intelligently. These bugs are not dangerous to your family, home, or possessions, but they will not be enjoyable to have scuttling across your ceilings by the hundreds. Preventive, not reactive, is the key. Seal any cracks in your home’s outside, especially on south walls, and have it treated before the fall stampede. You can have the red- and black-mottled visitors visit (observing your house from a distance) with the right approach to enjoying the beautiful Colorado weather as it arrives.
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