Discussions

Anyone knows what are these and how to get rid of large bunch of these insects completely.

Among other names box elder- box bug .  
 
They are a big big nuisance.  
 
Several suggestions on how to get rid of them but they just keep coming back.  
 
We have tried insecticides and the warm water with dawn soap.  
Nothing seems to get rid of them even our winters.  
 
Check out this link  
https://www.realsimple.com/how-to-get-rid-of-boxelder-bugs-7644252  
 
Edited by Mac72, 2024-09-26 10:07:49

We get them by the hundreds on the south wall of our house. We have tried different bug brand products and they never worked. The only thing we have found that works is water with dish soap and spray them down. Rinse your wall down after to avoid soap scum.

I have been doing this for the last couple of years. It works really well and yes, after the bug season is over, I spray down the house and the fence and they look new again! Solves two problems - the bugs and the dirty house/fence! LOL

Add a Tablespoon of 99 % rubbing alcohol to a gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of dish soap .  
This does not kill birds when they eat the dead bugs like Raid or other insecticides do.

Not in a gallon, in a spray bottle.

Make up a gallon in a container and pour into a spray bottle to dipense. You are going to need lots because you want to completely soak the bugs.

Kills them in seconds. But you have to spray directly on them and they are quick to hide from you. May have to go out again when they come out again.

I agree about mixing a gallon but the proportions you provided are for a spray bottle. You'll have to quadruple it for a gallon.

I noticed that the Dawn-water-rubbing alcohol mixture is staining my siding.  
 
I tried without the rubbing alcohol too, and i ended up having to wash my siding. Still stained.  
 
I now keep my shopvac close by and suck them up. (No they do not crawl back up) - they do die.

I gave are for a gallon of solution. If you think more would be better than you will have troubles with staining things and demish the effectovness.  
The exact proportion were worked out by Dr Patton years ago. Any variation will decrease the effectivness of the solution.  
To explain how it works: Most bugs breathe through their skin. The soft soap plugs up the pores in their skin, the 99% alcohol makes the solution evaporate quickly before the bug can brush it off  
This solution is good for tent caterpillars too.  
The nice thing about this remedy is that when the birds eat the dead bugs it will not kill the birds like Raid or other pesticide will. And then you have other problems.....

the "staining " may not be an actual stain but a clean spot.

It is a good idea to spray again in a week or so as new bugs will have hatched.

Anyone else knew which bug this was going to be before even seeing to the photo!! LOL

I figured that it was going to be about the Maple bug. They get crazy this time of year.