Red bugs!

14 years ago

What is it???

Last fall my backyard was inundated with boxelder bugs! When I was a kid in Illinois, that happened every fallÂthe south side of the house would be covered with them. Then they seemed to disappear by spring and didnÂt show up again till the next fall. Assuming theyÂd do the same thing out here, I did my best to ignore them last fall. The problem is that they DIDN"T disappear over winter here in Denver! I continued to try to ignore them this springÂuntil I started finding dozens and dozens of them running around "in tandem"Âif you get my drift! Enough already! I got out the flying insect killer and did some serious damage to their love making! But while I was "disposing of them," I started noticing some other, smaller red bugs all over the place! I had had enough of red bugs, so IÂve been spraying them tooÂone at a time! But I donÂt know what the smaller ones are!

~~~~~ Think I figured it out! ~~~~~

Well I just googled boxelder bugs and I found a picture of what I think is a "baby" boxelder bug! It sure looks like the same thing to me! Looks like maybe I didnÂt catch their love making in time!!!

Do you all think the bugs I have are the same as the picture of the baby boxelder bugs? If you do, at least I know what they are! They squish red, by the way!!!

Skybird Â who has just discovered a new red dye!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Boxelder bug life stages!

Comments (3)

Azura
14 years ago
Kiddo #1 had the bug guide handy so I thought Id contribute some info. The photo of the eastern box elder adult looks like a bug Ive seen in my gardens, I havent seen the baby one.
The National Audobon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (mouthful) states that;

Nymph is red, adding black as it grows. Nymphs appear in late spring or early summer and develop rapidly. Adult females overwinter. 1 or 2 generations a year. Although this insect does little damage to trees, it causes deformities and blemishes in fruit. In autumn, huge swarms of females can be seen near buildings, looking for a place to overwinter.

I think the photos in my google search below resemble your red bug? Apparently, the western version of the same bug may look a little different. I hope that helps, kiddo enjoyed looking it up. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Eastern Box Elder Nymph
Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
14 years ago
That's about a 2nd instar for a boxelder bug. Many such bugs in this family reverse their colors as the instars progress...

No big.

Dan
Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
Original Author
14 years ago
Tell Kiddo #1 thanks, Azura, and thanks, Dan, too. When I found the pics I was pretty sure that's what they were. Based on all the tiny little red bugs I have running around, I think I'm gonna have another bumper crop of adult boxelder bugs this fall again.

This fall I will NOT ignore them!

Skybird