Eastern Boxelder Bug

Eastern Boxelder Bug

Boisea trivittata

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Mendoza

In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%

28 Verified sightings at Mendoza
200 In all 5 parks From 2019 to 2026
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Eastern Boxelder Bug

Boisea trivittata, also called the eastern boxelder bug, box bug, or maple bug, is a species of true bug native to eastern North America. The western boxelder bug, Boisea rubrolineata, is a relative of this species and is native to western North America. Eastern boxelder bugs are found primarily on boxelder, other maples, and ash trees.

Trivittata is from the Latin tri (three) + vittata (banded). The adults are about 13 millimetres (0.51 in) long with a dark brown or black coloration, relieved by red wing veins and markings on the abdomen, with dark red eyes; nymphs are bright red.

Eastern boxelder bugs feed almost entirely on the developing seeds of boxelder, maple, and ash trees. Eastern boxelder bugs feed, lay eggs and develop on boxelder trees, most commonly occurring on female trees as they produce seeds. Eastern boxelder bugs prefer seeds; however, they also suck leaves. They can be frequently observed on maples, as these trees provide them with seeds as well. Eastern boxelder bugs overwinter in plant debris or protected human-inhabited places and other suitable structures.

The eastern boxelder bug... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~40%
2 Guadalupe Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 Shenandoah National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Great Smoky Mountains National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
5 Cumbres de Monterrey National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Santiago 🇨🇱 Chile
~40%
2 Mendoza 🇦🇷 Argentina
~30%
3 Salt Lake City 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
4 Minneapolis [Saint Paul] 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
5 Baltimore 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
6 Calgary 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
7 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
~20%
8 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
~10%
9 Detroit 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
10 Philadelphia 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing an Eastern Boxelder Bug in Mendoza?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Boxelder Bug sighting in Mendoza on a given day, based on 28 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 5th most-seen of the 47 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see an Eastern Boxelder Bug in Mendoza?

April

In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Boxelder Bug in Mendoza on a given day, against under 5% in March, August and October, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see an Eastern Boxelder Bug?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Boxelder Bug sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Mendoza the best place to see an Eastern Boxelder Bug?

2nd of 20

Of the 20 cities where we can rate Eastern Boxelder Bug sightings, Mendoza ranks 2nd at about 30%. The best odds are in Santiago (Chile, about 40%).

Which relatives of the Eastern Boxelder Bug live in Mendoza?

Same order: Hemiptera

The closest relatives of the Eastern Boxelder Bug that you can see in Mendoza (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are Southern Green Stink Bug (about 30%), Leafhopper Assassin Bug (about 30%) and Pachylis argentinus (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Eastern Boxelder Bug sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Eastern Boxelder Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Mendoza (28 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Mendoza