They use their piercing-sucking mouthparts to suck sap from the leaves, tender twigs, and developing seeds of host trees. These bugs feed on seed-bearing (female) boxelder trees, and they also feed on seed-bearing silver maples they do not feed on male trees. Life Cycle and Habits Boxelder Bugsīoxelder bugs are so named because they are a major pest of boxelder trees, their primary host. These bugs resemble wheel bugs and assassin bugs (family: Reduviidae), but unlike the assassin bugs, leaf-footed bugs do not bite humans. Nymphs are wingless, bright red, and resemble the adults. Adults have brightly colored bands on flared edges of their abdomen (laterotergites), and a white zigzag band across the center of their back.
![boxelder bugs boxelder bugs](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5CYGZ2IFwC4/T6vx8XmwwwI/AAAAAAAACJk/2dD468sxJ8Y/s1600/boxelderbug.jpg)
They are elongated and somewhat heavy bodied, with antennae nearly as long as the body. Adults are reddish-brown to black and are approximately 1/2–3/4 inch long. They sometimes are called "walky bugs" in Ohio due to the slow and steady way that they walk. As the name indicates, these bugs have long hind legs that end with a flattened, leaf-like structure. The western conifer-seed bug, also known as the western pine-seed bug, belongs to a small group of true bugs called the leaf-footed bugs. Eggs are dark reddish-brown.Īdult western conifer-seed bug showing leaf-like structure on the hind leg. The nymphs or immatures resemble the adults in shape, but they are smaller, more rounded, wingless, and bright red. It has thin, four-segmented antennae that are half as long as the body. The head is black with a reddish-orange "beak" or proboscis. As is characteristic of this order of insects, the forewings are thick and leathery at the base, and membranous at the tip the hindwings are entirely membranous. They are dark brownish-black with three lengthwise red stripes on the pronotum (area behind the head) and reddish margins on the front wings the abdomen is bright red underneath the wings. Identification Boxelder BugsĪdult boxelder bugs are flat-backed, elongated, narrow-bodied insects, about 1/2 inch long and 1/3 inch wide. While both insects have piercing-sucking mouthparts, neither is known to bite humans or animals.
![boxelder bugs boxelder bugs](http://www.extermiman.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/box-elder-bug.jpg)
During warm winter and spring days, boxelder bugs and leaf-footed bugs may become active, moving from their hiding places into living spaces. Outdoors, boxelder bugs have the habit of clustering in large numbers on the sides of trees, buildings, and other structures. Although they do not cause damage to buildings, clothing, food, or humans, their presence is annoying. Indoors, these bugs are a nuisance because of their presence, foul odor when crushed or disturbed, and fecal stains on curtains or walls. They may fly through open doors and windows, but they most commonly enter homes and buildings through cracks and crevices around doors, windows, and roof soffits. During the fall, they are attracted to buildings and occasionally to night-lights. Large populations are often correlated with long, hot, dry summers. Boxelder bugs (family: Rhopalidae) and leaffooted bugs (family: Coreidae) are larger species of true bugs that may invade buildings, especially during the warm days of autumn, to seek sheltered sites for overwintering.