Identifying boxelder bugs
Adult boxelder bugs
- About 1/2-inch long
- Black with orange or red markings, including three stripes on the area right behind the head (prothorax)
- Wings lay flat over their bodies, overlapping each other to form an ‘X’
Young boxelder bugs (nymphs)
- 1/16th-inch long
- Bright red when they first hatch, they change to red and black as they get larger
Boxelder bugs are "true bugs" and belong to the same family as stink bugs, cicadas and other insects with piercing and sucking mouthparts. They release a bad odor when crushed.
You can see bugs at all stages of development at any given time during the summer.
Boxelder bugs are not a serious problem every year. They are most abundant during hot, dry summers when followed by warm springs.
Life cycle of boxelder bugs
Article
The Seasonal Behavior and Ecology of the Boxelder Bug Leptocoris Trivittatus in Minnesota
First published: 01 July 1952
Pages: 1 · 2
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