Boxelder Bugs? Yikes! Here's How to Get Rid of Them

By Michael Franco

August 12, 2026

If you've ever walked outside on a warm, fall day to find hundreds of black and red insects clustered on your siding like they own the place, you've met the boxelder bug. They're not dangerous, but they are deeply annoying — and once they decide your house is a good place to spend the winter, getting rid of them requires a little more than just shooing them away. Here's what you need to know.

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What Are Boxelder Bugs?

Boxelder bugs are true bugs — flat, oval-shaped insects about half an inch long, black with distinctive orange or red markings along the edges of their wings and thorax. They're native to the western United States but have spread throughout most of North America and are now a common nuisance pest from coast to coast.

The good news is that they're essentially harmless. They don't bite, they don't sting, they don't carry disease, and they don't cause structural damage to your home. The bad news is that they congregate in large numbers, they have a habit of squeezing into your home through any gap they can find, and when disturbed or crushed, adult boxelder bugs release an unpleasant smell that's memorable in the worst possible way. They also leave behind small fecal spots on surfaces where they gather, which can stain light-colored siding or curtains over time.

Why Are There So Many Boxelder Bugs Around My House?

Boxelder bugs feed on the seeds of boxelder trees — and to a lesser extent, maple and ash trees — throughout spring and summer. In the fall, as temperatures begin to drop, they start looking for a warm place to overwinter. Your house, with its sun-warmed siding and all the gaps and crevices that come with any structure, looks extremely appealing to them.

They're particularly drawn to the south and west-facing sides of structures, the sides that get the most sun and therefore the most warmth. This is why you'll often find them clustered there in enormous numbers on warm fall afternoons. They're not trying to damage your home or eat your food. They just want somewhere warm to ride out the winter, and your walls and wall voids fit the bill perfectly.

If you have a female boxelder tree on or near your property, that's almost certainly what's drawing them to the area in the first place. Female boxelder trees produce seeds; male trees don't. Removing a female boxelder tree from your property is the most permanent long-term solution, though it's obviously not a minor undertaking.

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Three Ways to Get Rid of Boxelder Bugs

Vacuum Them Up

For bugs that are already inside or clustered on exterior surfaces in manageable numbers, a vacuum cleaner is your most effective immediate tool. Use the hose attachment to suck them up directly. The important step: Remove the vacuum bag or empty the canister immediately outside into a sealed plastic bag, then dispose of it. Crushed boxelder bugs smell, and a bag full of them sitting in your vacuum isn't a situation you want to create.

Spray With Soapy Water

For larger congregations on your siding or foundation, a spray bottle filled with a mixture of water and a generous squirt of dish soap is surprisingly effective. Spray directly onto the bugs. The soap penetrates their exoskeleton and kills them on contact. This works best on warm days when they're active and clustered on the exterior. It won't prevent more from arriving, but it knocks down the visible population quickly and without chemicals.

Prevention: Seal Entry Points

Solve the problem long-term. Walk the exterior of your home and look for any gap, crack or opening that a bug could squeeze through. Seal cracks in the foundation and around windows and doors with exterior caulk. Check the weatherstripping on all exterior doors and replace any that's worn or compressed. Install door sweeps on any exterior doors that have a visible gap at the bottom. Check window screens for tears and repair or replace them.

Pay particular attention to gaps where utility lines, pipes and cables enter the house, and around the edges of siding where it meets trim or foundation. These are common entry points that are easy to overlook.

When to Call Pest Control

If boxelder bugs have already established themselves inside your walls in significant numbers, DIY measures may not be enough to fully address the infestation. A pest control professional can treat wall voids and other inaccessible areas where bugs are overwintering and help you identify entry points you may have missed.

The Bottom Line

Boxelder bugs are a nuisance, but they're a manageable one. Seal the exterior of your home in late summer before they start looking for overwintering spots, deal with any that get in promptly, and resist the urge to crush them indoors — your nose will thank you.

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