Repel Boxelder Bugs With An Aromatic Plant From Your Herb Garden

Boxelder bugs are native insects that often gather on the sunny side of your house, sometimes in large numbers, in the fall. They aren't harmful but are certainly creepy, and let's face it, eleventy-million bugs crawling around your doors and windows are just gross. So, how do you get rid of them? One option with a significant amount of anecdotal support is using sage or other herbs to drive boxelder bugs away. There are many uses for sage, a member of the mint family, and the strong aroma generated by crushing the leaves of the plant is a likely deterrent to boxelder bugs. To prevent the bugs from entering your home for the winter, use sage around any gaps in your siding or house foundation cracks to prevent their egress. Tie bundles of sage up with string, crush the leaves, and place them where you see the bugs.

Sage is not the only herbal treatment that may be effective against boxelder bugs. You could use any herb with strong scents — especially those with a minty aromatic quality like eucalyptus, peppermint, and spearmint. Put 10 to 15 drops of one of these essential oils into a cup of water and use a spray bottle to distribute it where you see the bugs. Use again if the bugs reappear. This treatment does not kill the boxelder bugs, but they will flee from the strong scents. A treatment that does kill the bugs is diluting dishwashing soap into water and using a hose end sprayer to spray the bugs you can see. It's nontoxic to nearly everything but boxelder bugs, but will only affect the bugs it touches, so you'll need to repeat the process as necessary.

Boxelder bugs are not harmful, just annoying. But they become even more so when they find a way into your home for the winter. If you crush them they will stink and will stain fabric like drapes and rugs when you do. The best way to keep them out of your house is by blocking any cracks and holes in your vinyl sliding (or windows and doors) that allow them into the house. If they do manage to get in, the best way to control them is by vacuuming. Put the vacuumed waste in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer to kill the bugs. The University of Minnesota Extension Service does not recommend insecticide to kill boxelder bugs inside your home. It is impractical because they are so short lived.

Boxelder bugs primarily live on box elder trees as you might suspect. They also live on trees related to the box elder, which is a species of maple. So, if you have maple trees in your yard, you've got a home for the little buggers. The boxelder bugs also seem to have cycles of larger populations one year and smaller the next. This creepy-crawly can be a pest, but its harmless nature makes it one that is easier to live with. And if not, you always have sage.