# It's Autumn, and that means wonderful swarms of Box Elder Bugs!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-autumn-and-that-means-wonderful-swarms-of-box-elder-bugs/515819>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [October 31, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-autumn-and-that-means-wonderful-swarms-of-box-elder-bugs/515819 "2009-10-31T05:15:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-autumn-and-that-means-wonderful-swarms-of-box-elder-bugs/515819/1 "2009-10-31T05:15:00Z")

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Am I actually starting to pity these things?

Within the last two weeks I’ve been finding (and disposing of) at least three of these bugs in my condo every day.

That said - they’re a terribly polite bug. They don’t move quickly. They don’t hide very well. They don’t even try to scurry when I pick them up with a few sheets of toilet paper to flush them.

They are getting to be a nuisance, and I’m finding more every day. But they’re easy to catch (and flush), and they don’t bite like those damn [Japanese Lady Bugs](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonia_axyridis) that swarm my place in late winter and spring.

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**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2009, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-autumn-and-that-means-wonderful-swarms-of-box-elder-bugs/515819/2 "2009-10-31T19:37:11Z")

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We’re starting to see a few. Last year we had very few, which was a surprise. The previous year, we were inundated inside and out.

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**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-autumn-and-that-means-wonderful-swarms-of-box-elder-bugs/515819/3 "2009-11-01T04:24:50Z")

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I used to think they were “attacking” me when I was kid.

Now, I realize they probably were just curious. For attackers, they sure moved slowly 🙂

I rarely see them west of the Cascades. It was in Eastern Oregon where I saw them as kids.

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**Author:** ![GameHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ed655f/32.png) [@GameHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GameHat)\
**Post date:** [November 1, 2009, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-autumn-and-that-means-wonderful-swarms-of-box-elder-bugs/515819/4 "2009-11-01T04:59:44Z")

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> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#):
>
> I rarely see them west of the Cascades. It was in Eastern Oregon where I saw them as kids.

Chicago burbs here. We had them when I lived in Wisconsin, as well.