Are Box Elder Bugs In Lake Orion, MI Dangerous?
10/15/2021
Some pests threaten health, while others cause damage to properties. Most pests are a huge annoyance. As we head into fall here in Lake Orion, one pest that will be trying to sneak its way into area homes will be the box elder bug. These intimidating-looking insects look like they could be dangerous, destructive, and annoying. To help you better understand these pests, here are some things you should know, including what dangers they pose to Lake Orion homeowners.
How Dangerous Are Box Elder Bugs?
Red, orange, and black are colors regularly associated with danger. That said, box elder bugs are all of these colors, yet they pose no serious risk to human health. These pests rarely bite, don’t sting, and are incapable of spreading any form of dangerous disease.
Are Box Elder Bugs Destructive?
Many home-invading pests are destructive. Although boxelder bugs do not chew away at wood, eat books, or gnaw holes through walls like other pests might, they damage things in their own way. When crawling over fabric items like carpets, drapes, and furniture, these pests will leave behind splotches of fecal matter.
Why Box Elder Bugs Invade Homes
Boxelder bugs in Michigan are not traditional house pests. These pests live and breed around box elder, maple, ash, and some fruit trees during the summer months. It is only when the temperatures drop during the fall that panic sets in and box elder bugs start looking for places to hide. Most often, this draws them to gather on the sun-receiving side of buildings. From here, all these pests need to get indoors is a crack, gap, or opening. If these pests start gathering on the exterior walls of your home, be sure they will look to get inside soon.
The Problem With Overwintering Box Elder Bugs
The biggest problem box elder bugs cause is simply with their presence. Although avoiding the cold is this pest's main reason for coming indoors, they will often buzz around living areas bothering homeowners in their free time. To top things off, when crushed, box elder bugs release an unpleasant odor. This makes eliminating these pests frustrating as every time you track one down, killing it only results in an assault to your nose.
What To Do To Protect Your Lake Orion Home
Because box elder bugs do not invade homes for the same reasons other pests do, general pest prevention tips such as keeping things clean and storing food away properly do not help. Keeping this in mind, you can still do some things to deter these pests from invading this fall. Here are some great places to start.
- Thoroughly inspect your home’s exterior foundation for gaps and cracks and around window and door frames for spacing that pests might use to get inside. Seal off these entry points using silicone caulk and a caulking gun or some liquid cement.
- Repair or replace window and door screens that are torn, damaged, or improperly installed.
- Make sure your home’s door sweeps are in good working condition.
- Address problems with weatherstripping.
- Make sure your windows and doors close and seal properly.
Most people do not have time or energy to fight back against box elder bugs on their own. If you are looking for a good way to protect your property against overwintering pests, look no further than Wells Pest Control. We use advanced home pest control solutions to seal homes and cutting-edge treatments to eliminate pests like box elder bugs before they come indoors. Contact us today to find out more and schedule your home pest control for your Lake Orion property.
Tags: home pest control | boxelder bugs at lake orion | protect your home from boxelder bugs |
Request Your Free Quote Today
Complete the form below to schedule your free quote.