M.A.D. Extermination M.A.D. Extermination

Insects we treat

Boxelder Bug Extermination

Dozens of black-and-red insects on your sun-facing wall. They slip through windows, cluster in the corners of your rooms, and drop from your curtains. Every fall, it's the same story.

The boxelder bug (*Boisea trivittata*) is one of the most common fall pests in the Outaouais. Where there are Manitoba maples (boxelder trees), there are boxelder bugs. And when they decide to overwinter in your home, they arrive by the hundreds.

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Punaise de l'érable — illustration

Harmless outdoors, invasive indoors

Boxelder bugs don't bite, don't transmit diseases and don't cause structural damage. So why call an exterminator? Because when 200 or 300 settle into your walls, windows and ceilings, it's a nuisance that's hard to live with — especially when it comes back every year. The cycle: In spring and summer, they feed on Manitoba maple seeds. In fall, they migrate to warm surfaces (south- and west-facing facades) and look for cracks to spend the winter inside. The following spring, they wake up and try to get out — often ending up inside your home.

Species and behaviour

  • Why home remedies fail Boxelder bugs don't respond well to over-the-counter contact insecticides. Killing them one by one does nothing against the hundreds already in your walls. And crushing them releases an unpleasant odour and can stain your surfaces.
Boxelder bug on an exterior wall

Our approach

  1. Inspection

    Identifying entry points and aggregation zones on your property. We also check for nearby Manitoba maples (the source of the problem).

  2. Preventive perimeter treatment

    Health Canada-approved residual products applied to facades and infiltration points before the fall migration. This is the most effective treatment.

  3. Interior treatment

    If the infestation is already established, targeted treatment of concentration areas (attics, wall cavities, window frames).

  4. Long-term prevention

    Sealing entry points, recommendations on managing surrounding vegetation (including pruning or removing nearby Manitoba maples).

Frequently asked questions

  • Are boxelder bugs dangerous?

    No. They don't bite, don't sting and don't transmit diseases. Their nuisance is purely due to their numbers. However, they can stain light surfaces with their droppings and give off an unpleasant smell when crushed.

  • Why are there so many at my house?

    Two factors: nearby Manitoba maples (boxelder trees) and unsealed entry points on your facade. Boxelder bugs are attracted to warm sun-facing surfaces — if your south or west wall has cracks, they'll find them.

  • When is the best time to treat?

    Late August to mid-September, before the bugs start migrating toward your home. A preventive perimeter treatment at that time is far more effective than trying to manage them once they're in your walls. If you're reading this mid-invasion, call anyway — we can significantly reduce the problem.

  • Will removing the Manitoba maple solve it?

    It helps long-term, but boxelder bugs can fly several hundred metres. Even if your tree is removed, those in the neighbourhood can still feed the population. Perimeter treatment remains necessary.

Service areas

Business hours

  • Monday [8 a.m. - 5 p.m.]
  • Tuesday [8 a.m. - 5 p.m.]
  • Wednesday [8 a.m. - 5 p.m.]
  • Thursday [8 a.m. - 5 p.m.]
  • Friday [8 a.m. - 5 p.m.]
  • Saturday [10 a.m. - 4 p.m.]
  • Sunday [10 a.m. - 4 p.m.]

Boxelder bugs all over your facade? Act before they get inside.

Free estimate. Preventive or curative treatment. Guaranteed.

Mickaël, André or Daniel will assess your situation and recommend the right time to intervene. Late-summer preventive treatment gives the best results.

(873) 456-2482 Free estimate

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