What Do Boxelder Bugs Eat?

Boxelder bugs mainly eat seeds from boxelder, maple, and ash trees. They do not chew wood, fabric, or stored food. Instead, they use a straw-like mouthpart to suck juices from seeds, young leaves, and sometimes soft fruit.

Their diet is one reason they gather around female boxelder trees and other seed-producing maples. Indoors, they are usually sheltering for the winter, not looking for food.

Main Outdoor Food Sources

Outside, they feed mostly on seeds from boxelder trees and maple trees. They may also feed on ash seeds, young leaves, and soft fruits when those are available.

They are most common around seed-bearing trees because the seeds are their preferred food source. Large numbers near a home often mean there are boxelder or maple trees nearby.

Winter Feeding Habits

They usually do not feed during winter. When they enter homes in fall, they are looking for a protected place to overwinter. They may become active on warm indoor walls or windows, but they are not there to eat your food.

Will They Eat Food Indoors?

In most homes, they eat nothing. They do not infest pantry items, stored grains, pet food, clothing, furniture, or wood. If you see them indoors, the main issue is nuisance activity, odor when crushed, and possible staining.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Plants?

They do not chew plants like caterpillars or beetles. Instead, they pierce plant tissue and suck juices from seeds, leaves, and fruit. This can sometimes leave small marks, but serious plant damage is uncommon in home landscapes.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Fruit?

They may feed on soft fruits such as grapes or tomatoes, especially when preferred tree seeds are nearby or limited. Their feeding can leave small surface marks or bruised spots, but they usually do not destroy the fruit.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Wood?

No. These insects do not eat wood and do not cause structural damage. If you see wood damage, galleries, mud tubes, or frass, look for another pest such as termites, carpenter ants, or wood-boring insects.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Clothes or Fabric?

No. They do not eat clothes, carpets, curtains, or upholstery. They are not fabric pests. If clothing or stored fabric is being damaged, clothes moths or carpet beetles are more likely causes.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Other Insects?

No. They do not eat aphids, ants, spiders, spider mites, caterpillars, or other insects. Their diet is plant-based; they are not predators.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Each Other?

No. They are not cannibalistic pests. They gather in large groups for warmth, shelter, and access to food sources, but they do not feed on each other.

Do Boxelder Bugs Eat Milkweed?

They are not milkweed bugs. Boxelder bugs prefer boxelder and maple seeds, while milkweed bugs feed on milkweed plants and seeds. The two insects can look similar from a distance because both may have red or orange markings.

Bottom Line

In short, their main food is boxelder and maple seeds, plus some plant juices from leaves or soft fruit. If they are inside your house, they are usually overwintering and not feeding. The best fix is exclusion: vacuum indoor bugs, avoid crushing them, and seal the gaps they use to get inside.