Boxelder Bug Predators: What Eats Boxelder Bugs?

Boxelder bugs are a common nuisance pest, often showing up in homes, sheds, and garages as they look for shelter from cooler fall and winter temperatures. 

While many homeowners want to know how to kill boxelder bugs inside the walls of their home, it’s actually best not to. Their dead bodies can attract dermestid beetles, like larder beetles and carpet beetles, which can in turn create a whole new pest problem. It’s best to prevent them from entering in the first place.

Many natural boxelder bug predators are capable of eating boxelder bugs, but they are not a preferred food for most birds or mammals.    

Despite using several predator avoidance tactics, including their warning red coloration, bad taste, their ability to release a foul odor, and their tendency to gather in large groups, boxelder bugs are still consumed by variety of insects and animals.

What Insects Eat Boxelder Bugs?

Several insects are natural predators of boxelder bugs, each with its own way of catching them:

• Spiders: Trap boxelder bugs in their webs and immobilize them before feeding.
• Praying Mantises: Ambush hunters that quickly grab and consume their prey.
• Wheel Bugs: Predators that can use a venomous bite to immobilize then eat boxelder bugs.

What Other Animals Eat Boxelder Bugs?

In addition to insects, many other animals eat boxelder bugs, especially those with insect-heavy diets. Common predators include:

• Rodents: Mice, rats, and chipmunks
• Birds: Various bird species
• Backyard Poultry: Chickens, and guinea hens

Contact a Boxelder Bug Pest Professional

Even with many natural predators, boxelder bugs are not always a preferred food source. Predators can help keep populations under control under natural conditions but the reason boxelder bugs are a pest is because they aggregate in large numbers on buildings when the weather cools in the fall. If you notice lots of boxelder bugs in or around your home, you can contact a qualified pest control professional for advice and effective treatment.