It’s October in Saskatchewan, and if your home has a sunny south- or west-facing wall, you’ve probably seen them: clusters of black-and-red bugs soaking up the last warmth of the season, squeezing through window frames, and showing up inside just when the cold hits. Around here most people call them maple bugs — they’re boxelder bugs, and this is their peak season.
Green Pest Control keeps them out with eco-friendly exterior treatments and professional entry-point sealing, in Regina, Saskatoon, and the surrounding communities we serve.
Why maple bugs are invading right now
Boxelder bugs feed on the seeds of maple and boxelder trees all summer. When temperatures drop in the fall, they move to the warmest surface they can find — usually the sun-facing walls of nearby homes — and start hunting for cracks and gaps to overwinter in. They don’t bite, they don’t reproduce indoors, and they don’t damage your house. But once they’re inside your walls, they come out on warm winter days, stain curtains and siding when squished, and keep returning every fall.
The single most effective prevention, backed by university extension experts: seal their entry points before the gathering starts. October is the window — act now, before the cold drives them in.
What actually works (and what doesn’t)
- Sealing entry points — caulking cracks around windows, doors, and siding gaps, repairing torn screens. This is the one step that keeps working year after year.
- Exterior perimeter treatment — a targeted, eco-friendly residual treatment on the sun-facing walls where they gather stops them before they get in. Indoor spraying alone misses the point: new bugs keep arriving from outside.
- What we don’t do: there’s no need to tear walls apart or treat the whole interior. Maple bugs die out on their own over winter — the goal is simply keeping the next wave outside.
Our maple bug service
- We inspect your home’s exterior for the gaps and entry points they’re using.
- We apply an eco-friendly residual treatment to the walls where they cluster.
- We seal the entry points we find and give you a checklist for the rest.
- Depending on the level of pressure at your property, we may need to return for an additional treatment to eliminate them 100%.
Serving Regina, Saskatoon, and all 17 communities on our Cities We Serve page.
What you can do today
- Walk your sun-facing walls and seal visible cracks with caulk.
- Repair or replace damaged window screens.
- Vacuum up bugs that get inside — don’t squish them (they stain).
Then call us at (306) 716-6900 and we’ll handle the rest before the cold sets in.
Frequently asked questions
What are maple bugs (boxelder bugs)? Small black-and-red insects that swarm on sunny walls in fall. They feed on maple and boxelder trees in summer, then invade homes seeking winter shelter — which is why Regina and Saskatoon see them worst in October. They do not bite people or damage structures, but they stain walls and fabrics and are a serious nuisance in large numbers.
Do maple bugs bite or cause damage? They do not bite humans or pets and they do not eat wood or wiring. The real problems are their sheer numbers, the reddish stains their droppings leave on siding, curtains, and walls, and their unpleasant smell when crushed. A heavy invasion can mean hundreds clustering on a sun-facing wall.
How do maple bugs get inside my house? Through the same tiny gaps as other fall invaders — around window and door frames, under siding, through attic and soffit vents, and around utility penetrations. South- and west-facing walls are the hotspots because the bugs gather where it is warmest before pushing inside.
How does Green Pest Control treat maple bugs? Two-pronged: an exterior treatment on the sun-facing walls where they congregate, plus interior treatment for bugs already inside. We time it for peak season (September–October in Saskatchewan) when it hits the maximum number of bugs at once.
How do I stop maple bugs from coming back next fall? Seal cracks around windows, doors, and siding; repair damaged screens and vent covers; and consider removing female boxelder trees near the house if invasions are severe year after year. A preventive exterior treatment each September is the most reliable defence.
Do you treat maple bugs in both Regina and Saskatoon? Yes — October is our busiest maple bug month in both cities. Book early in the fall, because once cold weather drives them deep into wall voids, treatment gets harder. Call (306) 716-6900.
