Comments for Bright red beetle (Boxelder bug)
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Comments for
Bright red beetle (Boxelder bug)

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Boxelder bug
by: Moni

Brenda
Thanks for checking. This insect is the nymph or young stage of the boxelder bug. These are in the order Hemiptera known as true bugs. True bugs are soft bodied and have three life stages:egg, nymph(several moltings before they are adults), and adult.
Beetles are in the order Coleoptera. Beetles have hard shells as outer coverings. There are four life stages: egg, larva or worms, pupa and adult.
So the boys can label it boxelder bug. If they are old enough to use the computer they can look for it online. Then they can draw the three body parts, six legs, two eyes and two antenna!
Have fun and thanks for helping the boys to learn about the animals(insects) with the largest number of species in the world.
Is it a beetle or Boxelder Bug?
by: Brenda

I was happy to finally find a picture of our bug we found, but I'm not sure if it's called Bright Red & Black Beetle or Boxelder Bug. My boys found it outside today and drew a picture of it and we're trying to find out what it's called.
Boxelder bug
by: Moni

Jane
Boxelder bugs only eat boxelder trees. Your Black Lace, gold and varigated elderberry is a different plant and they are not interested in those.
The bugs are a nuisance when they manage to come into our homes in the fall. They crawl around leaving reddish droppings on walls, floors, and curtains.
Many thanks
by: Jane

Thanks to Moni and the other person who commented. So they are no danger to any of my elder bushes? I have black lace elder, sutherland gold elder and another variegated one. I havent seen them near these bushes but they are not in bloom or seed.
Boxelder bug nymph
by: Moni

As suggested, you have a group of boxelder bug young or nymphs. The nymphs of the boxelder bug have what looks like a yellow spot on the center back of the abdomen while the milkweed bug develops a couple of black spots there in the larger nymphal stages. Boxelder bugs do like to congregate together...and they are probably under a boxelder tree.
Does the tree have a maple like leaf, three leaflets to a leaf?...Then it is a boxelder tree.
box elder bug
by: Anonymous

Seems to be a box elder bug. apparently they dont do much harm unless you are a maple or box elder seed or flower. But they will try to overwinter in your house and can be a nuisance.

They closely resemble a milkweed bug as well but am pretty sure these are box elder bugs

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