Boxelder Bug Bug (Nymph stage)

Natural Habitat

Typically found on or near Boxelder trees, and occasionally on Maple and Ash trees. They often congregate on sun-facing walls of buildings.

Diet & Feeding

Herbivorous. They feed on the seeds and leaves of host trees (primarily female Boxelders) using piercing-sucking mouthparts.

Behavior Patterns

They are social insects that congregate in large numbers to sun themselves. During the fall, they seek out cracks and crevices in human structures to overwinter.

Risks & Benefits

They are considered a nuisance pest rather than a threat. They do not bite or sting, and they do not cause significant damage to most trees, though they can stain light-colored surfaces with their excrement.

Identified on: 4/18/2026