Boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles gather on sunny walls in fall, get inside and wake on warm winter days.
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Boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles leave trees and gather on sunny walls in autumn, then slip into wall voids and attics to overwinter. University of Minnesota Extension says sealing in fall is what matters. A local technician treats exteriors and seals gaps, and Minneapolis Pest Control confirms the price first.
On the first warm afternoon after a cold October week, they appear: hundreds of red-and-black boxelder bugs or orange-brown lady beetles crawling across the south wall of a house, as if the siding were warm enough to hold a party. They are not feeding and they are not breeding. They are looking for a crack to crawl into.
University of Minnesota Extension lists these insects, with the brown marmorated stink bug, as the big three home invaders. They do little harm to the building, but they are a nuisance in numbers, and they come back to life indoors long before spring. This page is about the autumn work that keeps most of them outside, and what to do about the ones that get in anyway. Minneapolis Pest Control passes your call to an independent local company, and phones are answered 24/7.
Boxelder adults leave host trees in fall and are drawn to buildings with southern exposure, per University of Minnesota Extension. Asian lady beetles overwinter on sunny sides of tall buildings. Both are searching for sheltered crevices to spend the winter, and a warm wall is a clear signal.
The sunny side of the house is a beacon. Surfaces that soak up afternoon sun stay warm after the air turns cold, and insects follow the warmth toward cracks.
Our guide on boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles on a Minnesota home goes into the full cycle and what Extension recommends.
Warm spells wake some of the insects inside walls and attics, and they crawl toward light. Extension says they do not feed or breed indoors and die within days without food. A few on a window in January does not mean an infestation is growing.
A sunny day in February can warm a wall cavity enough to rouse the insects tucked inside it. They head for the nearest window, which is where you see them.
The best response is a vacuum with a hose, and an empty and disposed bag. Crushing them can leave stains and a smell, and spraying a window wastes product.
No structural damage is expected from either insect. The harm is nuisance: stains, odor, dead insects in light fixtures and the work of cleaning them up. Both are outdoor insects that wander into buildings, and neither feeds or breeds indoors, so their numbers cannot grow inside the house.
Both insects are mostly a matter of numbers. A few are an annoyance, and hundreds in an attic can be a major clean-up job that has to be done before spring.
If a household member reacts to the insects, whether through skin or breathing, ask a doctor and remove the insects promptly. A technician can help find where they are collecting.
Let them. At the thaw, the insects that survived the winter inside walls move toward windows and attempt to leave. Vacuum those you see, open a window if one is on a screen, and plan sealing for the following autumn when it will matter.
Spring is a poor time to spray. The insects are leaving anyway and treated surfaces dry out in the weather.
Use the spring to note where they came out. The point of exit is often the point of entry, and it is the first gap to seal in September.
Do not spray insecticide into wall voids, outlets or light fixtures, and do not use foggers indoors. It does not reach the insects and creates fumes and residue. Vacuum the visible ones and call for help with a heavy infestation.
Boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles and stink bugs look alike to many people, and the response differs. The technician identifies what is on your wall and where it is coming from.
Extension notes that boxelder adults are drawn to buildings with southern exposure, and that lady beetles overwinter on sunny sides of tall buildings. The south and west walls get the closest look.
Gaps around windows, doors, siding, soffits, vents and utility lines are closed. Many of the insects get under shingles and into wall voids and attics, so the roofline matters too.
A residual product may be applied to the surfaces where the insects gather, in early to mid autumn before they settle in. The technician explains what was applied and how long to stay off treated areas.
Interior treatment is rarely the answer. The technician explains why vacuuming is better than spraying inside, and what to expect from warm-day emergences.
The main service. It combines sealing with a perimeter application on the sunny walls and around openings. It should be timed before the insects arrive in large numbers, which in this region is typically in September and October.
For households that prefer to limit product use. The technician closes the gaps, adds screens and repairs weatherstripping. It is slower to show results but addresses the cause.
For insects that are already inside. The visit focuses on vacuuming, locating the source in an attic or wall and reducing the likelihood of a repeat next year.
There was no published Minneapolis price for this service to quote, so no figure is given. The quote reflects the following.
| Job | Typical range | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Height and number of sunny walls | Scales with the building | A tall three-story house or a multi-unit building takes longer than a one-story home |
| Number of openings to seal | Depends on condition | Old windows, loose siding and gaps at the roofline take time |
| Treatment timing | Season-dependent | Early autumn visits are in demand; booking in August or early September widens the choice |
| Interior work | Added if needed | Vacuuming and attic checks may be added to a visit |
| Repeat visits | One or two | A second autumn visit is sometimes used for heavy invasions |
These are cost drivers, not prices. Your exact price is confirmed on site before any work starts.
If it's an emergency, call now. For non-urgent boxelder bug and asian lady beetle control, send the form and we'll call you back.
The big three arrive in the same season and use the same walls, which is why a single autumn visit often covers all of them. Extension also lists the brown marmorated stink bug, a newer arrival on the list, and our cluster fly and stink bug page covers it and its companions.
A long cold winter shapes the timeline. Extension describes a pattern in which insects move to buildings in autumn and are held in place until warmer weather. In Minnesota a mild afternoon in February followed by a hard freeze can wake them and then leave them stranded on a window.
Tall buildings, brick and light-colored siding on the south and west sides tend to draw the biggest gatherings. A house near a box elder tree may see more boxelder bugs, since the adults leave host trees in fall and head for nearby buildings.
Attic and wall-void insects that wake on warm winter days: brown marmorated stink bugs, cluster flies and their autumn entry.
Seasonal pest control for Twin Cities homes, timed to the October move indoors and the April thaw instead of spread evenly.
Sealing rim joists, sill plates, window wells and utility gaps in Twin Cities basements before the ground freezes.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
Boxelder bugs and Asian lady beetles gather on sunny walls each autumn looking for a place to spend the winter.
Minneapolis pest pressure has two peaks, not a flat year.
They are not a danger to people or to the structure. Their droppings can stain fabric and walls. The problem is numbers, not harm, and the long-term answer is to seal the gaps they use in autumn.
No. University of Minnesota Extension says these insects do not feed or breed indoors. Those you see in winter or spring are the same ones that came in during fall, and will die within days if they wake without food.
Early to mid autumn, before large numbers settle on the walls. Spraying after they are inside will not reach them. Spring spraying on the wall gives little benefit. A call in August or September lets the technician plan the visit.
Boxelder bugs are slim, black with red lines. Brown marmorated stink bugs are shield-shaped and mottled brown. The latter release an odor when crushed. A technician can identify the species from a photograph or a specimen.
Usually not. Removing a tree is a large step and may not stop the bugs, which can travel from a neighbor's yard. Extension says adults leave host trees in fall and head for buildings, so sealing the house is the more practical answer.
Use a vacuum and dispose of the bag outside. Avoid crushing them. Spraying a window gives little benefit. If they keep appearing from one spot, call a technician to find the source in the attic or wall and close it.