The Box Elder Bugs Are Already Out in New Milford and Brookfield

The Winter of '22 into '23 was a stinker. We didn't get the usual 1-2 foot blizzard, and although it was cold, we missed a good two month long deep freeze. I think we're going to have a crazy year of insects, bugs, and vermin this year. The Box Elder Bugs are already out in New Milford and Brookfield.

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If you woke up this morning and found a bunch of inch-long black and red winged insects on your windows, don't worry, it's just a colony of Box Elder Bugs waking up from their Winter slumber, and they're searching for a way outside.

Box Elder Bugs are harmless, they pose no threat to you, your pets, or your home, unless you smash them. If you do smash a Box Elder Bug, their guts can leave a nasty stain on your walls or fabrics. Box Elder bugs crawl into your warm home during the Winter, and when the temps warm up, they crawl over to warm surfaces like your windows and siding.

Want to get rid of them? Box Elder Bugs can infest your home if it looks like a piece of Swiss cheese. The first thing you should do is seal up the exposed cracks and opening on the exterior of your place with caulk. Typical bug sprays will take them out, we've shooed them away from the Arctic-entry at the station here in Brookfield with a few pieces of paper, they're pretty slow. For a natural repellant, try small satchels of lavender, cloves, or sage, according to HGTV.com, bugs hate the scent.