Western Boxelder Bug

Western Boxelder Bug

Boisea rubrolineata

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at San Francisco

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~30%

269 Verified sightings at San Francisco
40 In all 2 parks From 2019 to 2026
March Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Western Boxelder Bug

Boisea rubrolineata or the western boxelder bug is identical to the eastern boxelder bug aside from having prominent red veins on its corium. It is found in western North America. Adults are 9–13 mm in length. The thorax and wings are black with red lines, and the abdomen is red. Nymphs are bright red and gray. Both nymphs and adults feed on boxelder. In fall and winter, adults might be noted migrating indoors to hibernate. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Yosemite National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
2 Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 🇺🇸 United States
~10%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Portland 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Sacramento 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 San Francisco 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 Seattle 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
5 Los Angeles 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
6 San Diego 🇺🇸 United States
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Western Boxelder Bug in San Francisco?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Boxelder Bug sighting in San Francisco on a given day, based on 269 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 75th most-seen of the 737 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 30%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Western Boxelder Bug in San Francisco?

February to May

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Western Boxelder Bug in San Francisco on a given day, against under 5% in June to January, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Western Boxelder Bug?

Between 2 and 5 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Western 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 San Francisco the best place to see a Western Boxelder Bug?

3rd of 6

Of the 6 cities where we can rate Western Boxelder Bug sightings, San Francisco ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Portland (United States, about 30%) and Sacramento (United States, about 20%).

Where does the Western Boxelder Bug sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Western Boxelder Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in San Francisco (269 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.

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