Boisea trivittata
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
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 →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zion National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 2 | Guadalupe Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Shenandoah National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Cumbres de Monterrey National Park | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santiago | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 2 | Mendoza | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Salt Lake City | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Minneapolis [Saint Paul] | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Baltimore | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Calgary | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Toronto | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 8 | Montreal | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 9 | Detroit | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 10 | Philadelphia | 🇺🇸 United States |
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Boxelder Bug sighting in Zion National Park on a given day, based on 113 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 6th most-seen of the 114 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Boxelder Bug in Zion National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August, the lowest month. That is one of Zion National Park's wettest months, with about 55 mm of rain against almost none in June.
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.
Yes
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Eastern Boxelder Bug sightings, Zion National Park has the highest daily chance: about 40%. Next come Guadalupe Mountains National Park (United States, about 20%) and Shenandoah National Park (United States, about 10%).
Same order: Hemiptera
The closest relatives of the Eastern Boxelder Bug that you can see in Zion National Park (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are North American Common Water Strider (about 30%), Giant Agave Bug (about 20%) and Hackberry Petiole Gall Psyllid (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Boxelder Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Zion National Park (113 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
