''Boisea trivittata'', also called the eastern boxelder bug, box bug, or maple bug, is a species of true bug native to eastern

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. The western boxelder bug '' Boisea rubrolineata'' is a relative of this species and is native to western North America. Eastern boxelder bugs are found primarily on boxelder, other

maple ''Acer'' is a genus of trees and shrubs commonly known as maples. The genus is placed in the soapberry family Sapindaceae.Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, June 2008 nd more or less continuously updated si ...

s, and ash trees.Boxelder Bugs
University of Minnesota Extension

Etymology

Trivittata is from the Latin ''tri'' (three) + ''vittata'' (banded).

Biology and description

The adults are about long with a dark brown or black coloration, relieved by red wing veins and markings on the abdomen, with dark red eyes;

nymphs A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...

are bright red. Eastern boxelder bugs feed almost entirely on the developing seeds of boxelder,

, and

ash tree ''Fraxinus'' (), commonly called ash, is a genus of plants in the olive and lilac family, Oleaceae, and comprises 45–65 species of usually medium-to-large trees, most of which are deciduous trees, although some subtropical species are evergr ...

s. Eastern boxelder bugs feed, lay eggs and develop on boxelder trees, most commonly occurring on female trees as they produce seeds. Eastern boxelder bugs prefer seeds; however, they also suck leaves. They can be frequently observed on maple as these trees provide them with seeds as well. Eastern boxelder bugs overwinter in plant debris or protected human-inhabited places and other suitable structures.

Taxonomy and similar species

The eastern boxelder bug is sometimes confused with insects belonging to the

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

'' Jadera, Pyrrhocoris, and Melacoryphus''. They may also be confused with the western boxelder bug ('' Boisea rubrolineata'') which are near relatives in the same genus. The name "stink bug", which is more regularly applied to the family

Pentatomidae Pentatomidae is a family of insects belonging to the order Hemiptera, generally called shield bugs or stink bugs. Pentatomidae is the largest family in the superfamily Pentatomoidea, and contains around 900 genera and over 4700 species.Robert G ...

, is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to ''Boisea trivittata''. Instead, eastern boxelder bugs belong to the family Rhopalidae, the so-called "scentless plant bugs". However, eastern boxelder bugs are strong-smelling and to discourage predators will release a pungent and bad-tasting compound upon being disturbed. This allows them to form conspicuous aggregations without being preyed on. Eastern boxelder bugs are also sometimes confused with milkweed bugs, genus '' Lygaeus'' for having a similar appearance.

Range

Eastern boxelder bugs are a

native species In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equi ...

. The current range of this species covers the eastern

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, southern

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

, and south into

Guatemala Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...

. There have also been many sightings of them in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, but there is a high chance that these individuals are a part of the species '' Boisea fulcrata'', another related species. In 2020, this species was introduced as a non-native species in

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...

and is becoming an

invasive species An invasive species is an introduced species that harms its new environment. Invasive species adversely affect habitats and bioregions, causing ecological, environmental, and/or economic damage. The term can also be used for native spec ...

in that region. The introduction follows the use of maple trees as ornamental plantings.

Overwintering, sometimes in homes

Eastern boxelder bugs are not universally considered pests within their native range. Eastern boxelder bugs are harmless to people and pets. During certain times of the year eastern boxelder bugs cluster together in large groups while sunning themselves on warm surfaces near their host tree (e.g. on rocks,

shrubs A shrub or bush is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple ...

, trees, and man-made structures). This is especially a problem in the fall when they are seeking a warm place to overwinter. Large numbers are often seen congregating on houses seeking an entry point. If they gain access, they remain inactive behind siding and inside of walls while the weather is cool. Once the home's heating system becomes active for the season, the insects may falsely perceive it to be springtime and enter inhabited parts of the home in search of food and water if there are any openings that allow them to do so. Once inside inhabited areas of a home, their

excreta Excretion is elimination of metabolic waste, which is an essential process in all organisms. In vertebrates, this is primarily carried out by the lungs, kidneys, and skin. This is in contrast with secretion, where the substance may have specifi ...

may stain upholstery, carpets, drapes, and they may feed on certain types of house plants. In the spring, the bugs leave their winter

hibernation Hibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic reduction entered by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy characterized by low body-temperature, slow breathing and heart-rate, and low metabolic rate. It is mos ...

locations to feed and lay eggs on maple or ash trees. Clustered masses of eastern boxelder bugs may be seen again at this time, and depending on the temperature, throughout the summer. Their outdoor congregation habits and indoor excreta deposits are perceived as a nuisance by some people, therefore eastern boxelder bugs are often considered pests in those contexts. The removal of boxelder trees and maple trees can help control boxelder bug populations, but can also result in the loss of a native tree. Providing ample native woodland or other natural landscape helps eastern boxelder bugs overwinter without becoming a nuisance, along with helping many other species within the same

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) is a system formed by Organism, organisms in interaction with their Biophysical environment, environment. The Biotic material, biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and en ...

such as ground bees also native to North America.

Relationship to agriculture and gardening

Although they specialize on eating the seeds from maple, boxelder and ash, they may pierce other parts of the plant while feeding, but incidentally. They are not classified as an agricultural pest and are generally not considered injurious to ornamental plantings. They are known to damage some fruits in the fall when they leave their summer quarters in trees and seek areas to overwinter. Feeding by the bugs produces dimples, scars, fruit deformation, corky tissue, and even premature fruit-drop in strawberries and some tree fruits. But they are not major agricultural pests.

Predation by other animals

Spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...

s and

cat The cat (''Felis catus''), also referred to as the domestic cat or house cat, is a small domesticated carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species of the family Felidae. Advances in archaeology and genetics have shown that the ...

s are minor predators, but because of the boxelder bug's chemical defenses few birds or other animals will eat them. Boxelder bug populations are not affected by any major diseases or

parasites Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The en ...

Gallery

File:Adult and nymph Boxelder Bugs.jpg File:Boxelder bug pittsburgh.jpg File:Box Elder Bug adults and nymphs.jpg File:Boxelderbugz.jpg File:Group of Boxelder Bugs.jpg, alt=Large group of eastern boxelder bugs found on a fallen limb., Large group of eastern boxelder bugs found on a fallen limb File:BoxelderBugsBoltonONSep2018.jpg, alt=A mass of eastern boxelder bugs on a fencepost in Bolton, Ontario in September 2018., A mass of eastern boxelder bugs on a fencepost in Bolton, Ontario, in September 2018

References

External links

*
Box Elder Bug – large format photos and information
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4951659 Serinethinae Household pest insects Hemiptera of North America Insects described in 1825 Taxa named by Thomas Say