Don't Get Bugged This Year: How To Keep The Box Elder Bugs Away

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If you've been bothered by box elder bugs in the past, you should expect a repeat appearance as soon as fall arrives. Box elder bugs are extremely consistent when it comes to infestations. If you have box elder trees or maple trees in your yard, or anywhere in the neighborhood, chances are good that you'll deal with box elder bugs at some point. While these bugs aren't harmful, they do pose a serious nuisance problem. Here are three steps you can take to keep them away this year.

Seal Off All the Access Points Before Fall

When it comes to keeping box elder bugs away, the first thing you want to do is seal off all the access points before fall arrives. As soon as the cool weather arrives, box elder bugs will come out in droves. Once they're out, they'll look for ways to get into your home. In most cases, they'll choose small cracks in your foundation, stucco, and window frames. Before fall arrives, use latex caulking to seal up all the spots that the bugs might use as access points into your home. Sealing off the access points will help reduce the number of bugs that make it into your home this fall.

Begin the Season with a Pesticide Treatment

As soon as you feel the cool weather approaching, you'll need to have your home treated with pesticide. Treating your home with pesticide, inside and out, will help stop box elder bugs in their tracks. While you're at it, you should also have a tree service come out and inspect your trees for infestation. Treating your trees for box elder infestations will help keep them healthy and will reduce the bug population in your yard.

Vacuum Your Carpets on a Daily Basis

Once box elder bugs find their way into your home, they'll hide out in your carpet fibers. One reason they find your carpeting so attractive is that they can hide there without being seen. To help reduce the bug population, you should vacuum your carpeting on a daily basis. Be sure to empty your dust canister after each use. That way, the bugs won't climb out of the canister and back into your carpeting. It's also important that you empty the dust canister in an outside trash can.

Don't let your home get overrun by box elder bugs this year. Use the simple steps provided here to keep the bugs away.

If you run into problems with box elder bugs, contact professional pest control companies like Affordable Pest Control.


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