Maple bugs making annual appearance (Photo 48759771 © Jason P Ross | Dreamstime.com)

By Brian Konrad

Maple bug, aka box elder bug making annual autumn appearance

Oct 12, 2023 | 12:36 PM

MEDICINE HAT — It’s that time of year, when the walls of south-facing buildings begin to become a gathering place for maple bugs.

The black and red insects, whose official name is box elder bug, seem to appear out of nowhere at this time of the year, but in reality what we are seeing are just the adult stage of development.

They move out of their traditional homes in Manitoba maples, box elder trees or fruit trees as they seek a warm place to over-winter .

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While they may scare some people, they are not harmful and won’t get into your food should they find their way inside your home.

Some may be tempted to use a pesticide to control the bugs, but Caelan Walton at the Police Point Park Interpretive centre says that could have unintended consequences.

“So like a broad spectrum chemical annihilation would only be in the case of a very very serious infestation so I would like to encourage people to be responsible with their use of pesticides because they can affect not only other insects that might be beneficial to our eco system but also the birds that eat the insects,” says Walton.

Walton says the best way to keep maple bugs out of your home is to use proper seals around your doors and windows or anyplace they might try to crawl through.