Box Elder Bugs Strike Again!

Spring is upon us in Minnesota with all that it brings - home buyers, buds on the trees, flowers in bloom, and box elder bugs. My house faces south and they love the warmth that it offers. They love to congregate and otherwise hangout at the base of my garage doors and the surrounding brick.

I checked out the University of Minnesota Extension website to learn about their habits and find ways to safely exterminate them. I'd like to get rid of them once and for all with methods other than my shoes, but after reading the information I'm not as hopeful. It seems that late summer and early fall are the best times to try to eradicate them. I also found this website, Living with Bugs, which has some additional ideas and resources, along with information on non-pesticide treatments to rid your exterior of the pesky bugs.

Perhaps you've had this problem, too, and if so let me know if you've had any success in safely treating your home. Short of cutting down all the trees on my property (so they have nowhere to breed) I'd like to find a way to reduce or eliminate their population around my house. Please send suggestions.