Anyone else have a problem with Box Elder bugs?

[Richard K]

We have a vacation/retirement home between Walsenburg and La Veta. We get down there once a month or so. Whenever we get there we find 100 or so Box Elder bugs (most of them dead) in the finished basement. I've tried the sonic repellers and poisons but can't find where/how they're getting in. Other homeowners in the area have the same problem. I know they feed on box elder trees but there are no such trees within 100 miles. I went online and the most common remedy seems to be to spray the outside of the foundation with a solution of dish washing detergent but it didn't help.
Anyone have a solution?

[SU405]

We had them really bad last summer in our backyard. They were nesting in a wood pile next to the house. I used Hot Shot bug bomb in the green can that I picked up from wally world. It killed all of them instantly and haven't come back. Hope this helps and good luck.

[Richard K]

We had them really bad last summer in our backyard. They were nesting in a wood pile next to the house. I used Hot Shot bug bomb in the green can that I picked up from wally world. It killed all off them instantly and haven't come back. Hope this helps and good luck.

Thanks for reply. If I could figure out where their nest is I'd do exactly that.

[sniper7]

kill them with fire.


just kidding! I suggest the above as well as going to the local co-op and they probably have something for you where you can spray the inside and outside of the house to help out.

[roberth]

I kill 'em where I see 'em. I ride my bicycle over them or step on 'em. I hate 'em and they are everywhere.

[Daniel_187]

What color is the house? I heard they like some colors. the place i use to work at the building was white and they loved it and were all over. and my house is green and i never see them

[Richard K]

What color is the house? I heard they like some colors. the place i use to work at the building was white and they loved it and were all over. and my house is green and i never see them

The house is light tan stucco. Since you mentioned it in the summer the outside wall on the west side is covered with them when the sun hits it in the afternoon.

[Irving]

The south side our the brick house I grew up in was always covered in them. Don't really remember them inside though. I get them inside my office now, but they don't seem to really do anything so I don't mind.