Box Elder Bug Infestation

Here is the proof, in case you don't believe me, when I say we have a mild problem with Box Elder bugs in our home.  I feel as thought I have been placed with the Box Elder curse my days of living in Utah, just about every home I have lived in within the Greater Salt Lake Area has been infested with Box Elder bugs.  The charming house in the avenues on 5th ave had them all through the winter, finding them in our sheeplike carpet.  The house on 1st ave had them in the shower, and my condo on 9th East and 40th south suffered greatly in the kitchen area as they shoved themselves in the crack of the back door.  Certainly summer they are at their peak, but they have no problem hibernating in your home in the winter and fall as well.

Much to my dismay our home in Bountiful is no exception to the Box Elder invasions, except, that it might be the worse than the other three homes combined. No joke! Really!!! In fact the picture from above is Box elders collected on the front porch after just 3 days of sweeping.

 Micah mentioned it was bad when we got married, but I didn't trust they could be as insidious as I have previously experienced. 

He proved me wrong.

 In fact it has gotten so ridiculous, at one point I began to make a list of all the locations I have found Box Elder bugs in our home (dead and alive) where they absolutely have no right to be. These bugs, I ensure you, have NOOOOO BOUNDARIES!

Top 10 List of where we have found Box Elder Bugs where they shouldn't be:

10. Couch 

(How dare you try to ruin my episode of watching 'The Office'!)

9. Rug 

(not such a biggie except when you bury your body into the carpet fibers and my toes touch you as I walk)

8. Window 

(this also isn't so gross, except the fact it isn't ONE but TWO bugs, and even worse, MATING!, Ewww, using my home to be an exhibitionist)

7. Yoga Mat 

(you have now entered sacred territory, how dare you?)

6. Bathroom 

(everywhere, floor, sink, toilet, ceiling, apparently your favorite hang out)

5. Mailbox 

(ok, so it has gone to far when you leave your mating babies and poo on my mail)

4. Bed 

(an even more sacred territory than the yoga mat)

3. Shower 

(the entire reason for showering is to cleanse myself of you little dirty pests)

2. Lint Dryer 

(don't ask me how this is even possible, now its gone beyond too far)

1. Toothbrush 

(not just anywhere, but on the bristles that clean my teeth)

This means war! The box elder's will not win against man.  Micah has shown his wonderful extermination skills thus far in controlling your population as you can see from the dead carcasses on the front porch. But after finding bugs in the above areas, and others unmentioned, Micah has decided to eliminate the source of these pesky creatures. In the month of September he will be chopping down our Box Elder tree in the front yard, no longer will these little pests cross boundaries they are not entitled to cross!!!