Box Elders

Adults are about 1 2 inch long.

Box elders. The adults are about 12 5 millimetres 0 49 in long with a dark brown or black colouration relieved by red wing veins and markings on the abdomen. Box elder also called ash leaved maple acer negundo hardy and fast growing tree of the soapberry family sapindaceae native to the central and eastern united states. Box elder bugs feed principally by sucking juices from the box elder tree but are sometimes found on other plants especially maple trees. Box elder boxelder maple ash leaved maple and maple ash are among its common names in the united states.

Boxelder bugs are black with reddish or orange markings on their back. Nymphs look similar to adults but lack wings and are bright red in color. Nymphs are bright red. The tree grows to 9 15 m 30 50 feet tall.

They have six legs and two antennae that are typically half of their body length. Sometimes called ash leaved maple because of its non typical leaves see below box elder is technically considered a maple tree acer genus. Introduced to europe it is widely cultivated there as an ornamental. Its lumber is softer weaker and lighter than almost all other species of maple and box elder s overall strength as well as it s strength to weight ratio are poor.

Boxelder bugs are common pests over much of the united states. They are bright red or black with narrow reddish lines on the back. In canada it is commonly known as manitoba maple and occasionally as elf maple.