Box Elder
Description
Adult box elder bugs are up to 1/2" in length. They are brown-black in color with three red stripes on the thorax and red veins in the wings. They are sometimes mistaken for beetles but are actually "true bugs". The nymphs are smaller and are bright red.
Habitat
Box Elders are fond of feeding on the leaves, twigs and seeds of the female box elder tree. However they seem to cause little damage to the tree. They will also feed on Maple and Ash trees as well as grapes, apples and plums. They become a nuisance when they attempt to enter structures in order to find places to overwinter. Their migration begins in the autumn when they congregate on the south side of structures, rocks, and trees in odor to be warmed by the sun.
Hazards
* A nuisance pest
* Can bite if handled and emit an odor when crushed.
