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Why Are There Beetles on My Windows? Dealing with Boxelder Bugs & Stink Bugs:
Why Are There Beetles on My Windows? Dealing with Boxelder Bugs & Stink Bugs:
It’s a sunny winter day in Columbus, and suddenly your sun-facing windows are covered in black and orange beetles. These are Boxelder Bugs, and they’ve been hiding in your walls since October.
Can you get rid of them? Vacuuming them up is a temporary fix, but squashing them can leave a permanent stain on your curtains. The real trick is a preventative perimeter spray in the fall and spring.
Pro Tip: Check your window screens for small tears and ensure your door sweeps are tight. If they are already inside, give us a call—we can help clear them out and ensure they don't choose your home for their next "winter vacation."
Learn about our Quarterly Preventative treatment Plans
Call Now for a Pest-Free Tomorrow 614-671-5516
Step 1: Identify the Seasonal Invasion
Step 1: Identify the Seasonal Invasion
Before we can stop them, it is important to understand why these specific beetles have chosen your home for their "winter vacation."
The Sun-Facing Trap: Boxelder bugs and Stink bugs are attracted to thermal heat. In Columbus, they specifically seek out the south and west-facing walls of your home to soak up the autumn sun before the first frost.
The "False Spring" Emergence: Once they find a gap in your siding or a crack in a window frame, they move into your wall voids to hibernate. When you turn your heat on in the winter, or when a sunny day warms up your siding, these bugs are tricked into thinking it is spring. They emerge from your baseboards and light fixtures, heading straight for the warmth of your windows.
More Than Just a Nuisance: While they don't bite or eat your food, these invaders can cause real damage. Stink bugs release a pungent, defensive odor when stressed, and Boxelder bugs can leave orange, staining fecal spots on your white curtains, carpets, and upholstery.
Step Two: Professional Elimination Strategy
Step Two: Professional Elimination Strategy
Perimeter Power Spray: We apply a specialized, long-lasting residual barrier around your home's foundation, window frames, and all potential entry points. This stops overwintering pests before they can crawl behind your siding.
Strategic Flushing: For bugs already hiding inside, we use safe, targeted flushing agents to move them out of wall voids and light fixtures, clearing your living space quickly.
Fall & Spring Prevention: The most effective way to stay bug-free is our preventative barrier applied in September and October to block the "winter move-in".
Pro-Tips: Managing the Invasion
Pro-Tips: Managing the Invasion
DON'T Use Over-the-Counter "Bug Bombs": Total release foggers do not penetrate the wall voids where these bugs actually hide. Instead, they often just coat your furniture in residue while the bugs remain safely tucked away behind your drywall.
DO Focus on the "South Side": These bugs are solar-powered. Focus your sealing efforts and seasonal inspections specifically on the south and west-facing walls of your home, as these get the most sun and attract the most activity.
DON'T Leave Gaps in Window Air Conditioners: If you use window AC units, ensure they are removed by early September or sealed tightly with foam. The accordion-style side panels are one of the most common entry points for fall invaders.
DO Check Your Utility Entries: Inspect where cable lines, gas pipes, and dryer vents enter your home. A small bead of professional-grade silicone caulk around these penetrations can block a primary "highway" into your home.
DO Soapy Water Trap: For bugs found on the exterior of your home, a simple spray bottle with soapy water can be effective. The soap breaks down their protective coating and can knock down localized clusters without using heavy chemicals.
DON'T Squash Them: Crushing these bugs releases defensive fluids that stain surfaces and signal other bugs to the area.
DO Use the "Nylon Trick": Place a knee-high nylon stocking inside your vacuum hose, secure it with a rubber band, and vacuum them up so they never enter the vacuum bag.
DO Seal Attic Vents: These bugs love attic spaces; installing fine-mesh screening is a key part of permanent exclusion.
Ready for a Bug-Free Winter?
Ready for a Bug-Free Winter?
Don't let seasonal invaders take over your home—the best time to act is before they find their way inside. Whether you need an aggressive winter cleanout or a preventative fall perimeter spray, Shaffer Pest Control provides permanent solutions across our entire Central Ohio Service Area, including Reynoldsburg, Columbus, and Pickerington.
Call 614-671-5516 to Schedule Your Protection Plan or head over to our Pest Control Tips page to learn how to keep your property pest-free all year long.
Expert Answers: Common Seasonal Beetle Questions
Expert Answers: Common Seasonal Beetle Questions
Why are they only on one side of my house?
Why are they only on one side of my house?
These bugs are "solar-powered" and seek out the thermal heat reflecting off your home. You will almost always see them clustered on the south and west-facing walls of your Columbus or Reynoldsburg property where the sun hits the hardest.
Can they breed or lay eggs inside my walls?
Can they breed or lay eggs inside my walls?
No. They only enter your home to hibernate (overwinter). They must go back outdoors in the spring to feed and lay eggs on host trees like Boxelder or Maple. Any bugs you see in the winter have been hiding there since autumn.
Are Stink Bugs or Boxelder Bugs dangerous to pets?
Are Stink Bugs or Boxelder Bugs dangerous to pets?
They are not toxic or venomous. However, their bitter taste and the defensive fluids they release can cause pets to drool excessively or have a mild upset stomach if they try to eat them.
When is the best time to schedule a preventative spray?
When is the best time to schedule a preventative spray?
Late August through October is the ideal window for Central Ohio. This creates a "chemical shield" that stops the fall invasion before they ever get a chance to enter your wall voids.
If I see them in January, is it too late for treatment?
If I see them in January, is it too late for treatment?
It is never too late. While we can't "un-invite" the ones already in the walls, we can perform a specialized interior flushing treatment to clear out the active ones and apply a barrier to stop new activity.
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