A common sight this time of year is the boxelder bug, more commonly known as a maple bug. Etymologist James Tansey says the reason for their numbers this time of year is due to their preparations for the cold weather.
“They've been down this road before. They know that there are some very cold, severe conditions coming and they are looking to gather up. They do enjoy each other's company and are looking to gather up and find warm places to overwinter. That is any place that shelters. If you give an opportunity to get inside a home or get inside a building, they'll certainly take it and will enter those areas. You can also see them gathering under siding or even occasionally, if you've got piles of wood in your yard, you might find them gathered under there as well.”
Surprisingly, the longevity of these bugs lasts through the winter, as Tansey explains the amount we see in the fall is the amount that will emerge next spring. This time of year will typically see mostly adult maple bugs.
“That's going to be right around where maple species are flowering. They love to feed on the seeds and will happily munch on those plants, but they wait for those cues from their host plants before they start flying away in big numbers.”
The name “maple bugs” is assigned to these bugs simply because of their propensity for maple trees, which is ironic upon further investigation.
“This includes this includes Manitoba maple. Curiously enough, Manitoba maple is actually not native to western Canada. It's actually considered to be an invasive species here. This animal is actually native here and they simply switch to take great advantage over an introduced plant. They're doing very well on them. They seem to really enjoy them, so they get associated with them.”
These bugs, while common, host a variety of interesting characteristics, one being that they are part of the heteroptera order. This is determined by their metamorphosis characteristics.
“These are what are called the true bugs, which is obviously a bit of a funny statement. You know, it's like the rest of them are just faking it.”
While some consider them to be in the same family as the stink bug, they are actually in a different family closer to aphids. They’re distantly related to the beetle, however characteristics about their abdomens, mouths, and wings set them apart.
“They have a really characteristic wing pattern called a hemelytra... you can really tell them easily apart by looking at their forewings on their back with beetles, it's called an elytra rather than a hemelytra.”
A common misconception regarding these creatures is that when killed, they give off an odour that attracts other maple bugs. Tansey explains this simply isn’t true.
“They are actually really complex in their chemical communications, and they produce a number of different substances that will result in aggregation so they can call to each other.”
“It just, it doesn't make much sense that if an animal is under duress, it would call the rest of his brothers and sisters and cousins, because of the danger.”
Despite this myth being untrue, Tansey says there’s no reason to harm them if they’re not causing issues.
“My advice is just enjoy them. They're interesting animals. Do try to exclude them from your house. But enjoy them while they're outside.”
He explains they are harmless creatures; most people simply don’t want insects in their home. The best way to keep them out is to keep all points of entry to the home sealed whenever possible. Spraying for them doesn’t have much of an effect.
Tansey encourages anyone interested in maple bugs to learn more about them.
“I think the complexity of their chemical communications is super interesting. If anybody's curious about that, there's lots of information available on that. You can find out things relatively quickly with a short Google search and find out a little bit more about this animal. Happy researching everyone.”