Photo by Jim Jung. All rights reserved.

Box Elder Bugs

These orange and black harlequin bugs sometime congregating in large numbers in the fall. Look for them on the under surfaces of Box Elder and Bluevine (vining milkweed) leaves. This is another species about which we know almost nothing - particularly why they do it. Many insect species gather in groups to make finding a mate easier although not this species since I've seen mating couples in August before the congregations. Also the bugs that gather in large numbers are of all different ages and sizes so the reason they congregate at this time of the year is a mystery. Here's a great science fair project for budding naturalists or serious amateur entomologists... just let me know what you find out so we can add it to this entry.

Offsite Link:

• Koday's Kid's Boxelder Bug page

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