AnswerLine • Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Celebrating 50 Years! -A Conversation with Mary Jo Williams, AnswerLine’s First Operator

April 22, 2025 Marlene Geiger 2 Comments

Celebratory image: Celebrating 50 AnswerLine Years

As AnswerLine celebrates 50 years of service, it is fun to look back and learn about our roots and some of the home economists who are part of our history.

Mary Jo Williams was the first operator for AnswerLine beginning March 1, 1975, and held that position for 12 years. During those 12 years, she was the only operator but did have the assistance of two other home economists in the area when she needed to take time off for her children; and later, as call volume increased, a second phone line and home economist was added during the busy summer months.

Williams came to Ames with her family when her spouse took a position at Iowa State University. Prior to the move, she worked for Missouri Extension as a family economics and management specialist in a seven-county area after completing her degree in Home Economics Extension. Soon after her move, she was contacted by Louise Rosenfeld, State Home Economics Extension Leader (1946-1975) who sought to broaden the program by giving the home demonstration agents in the counties more time to present programs and training and provide another means of extension outreach. Limited phone education had been used in other states to replace one-on-one interactions which Rosenfeld felt might be the answer for Iowa as well. To that end, she recruited Williams to fill that position.

AnswerLine began as a pilot program with 10 counties over six months. At the end of the trial period in September, it was determined that the service was a success and provided the kind of help that both county extension staff and clients wanted so the program was expanded to all Iowa Counties. Williams had one call on day one and was answering as many as 250 calls and/or letters on the busiest of days towards the end of her stint.

Having worked with extension in Missouri, Williams was familiar with some of the questions that clients asked and could easily provide answers. However, beyond relying on her own knowledge, she was privileged to be working in the basement of Curtiss Hall which is where the state extension food specialist also had office space; the specialists helped her with many of the food-related questions. Other extension staff across campus also provided resources for her. From day one, she began cataloging questions and answers and compiling them into filing cabinets and notebooks.

At some time in her 12 years, a computer was dropped off for her to use. Having no experience with a computer, she did not find it very helpful at first but over time learned to record data on disks which were checked by the state specialists for accuracy. Beginning in 1983, the disks were shared with the home economists in the counties providing staff with faster access to answers as well.

While working for AnswerLine, Williams also completed a Master’s Degree in Communications in 1978. The title of her thesis, Educational Effects of a Home Economics Answering Service in Iowa, documented the usefulness and effectiveness of providing research-based information via a telephone answering service.

Ames and the Iowa State campus experienced severe flooding from the Squaw Creek (now Ioway Creek) and the South Skunk River on June 27, 1975. Williams remembers the many calls for the next month regarding flood clean up after an Ames Daily Tribune article suggested Ames residents call the Home Economics AnswerLine. Williams has many memories of the various calls she received; one in particular stands out coming from a young boy asking how to restore his leather baseball glove left in the rain.

The 50-year journey has brought memories and more to those who have received the calls and provided science-based, researched answers to clients seeking information. Many times we learn together. Despite the timeline, AnswerLine has always relied on sound resources to provide answers to the many questions that come our way—historical cards and notebooks, online searches, textbooks, reliable food preservation and recipe sources, Iowa State University extension and university professionals, our 12-state NCFSEN friends, and the cooperative extension services with all U.S. land-grant universities.

Marlene Geiger

I am a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a BS in Home Economics Education and Extension and from Colorado State University with a MS in Textiles and Clothing. I enjoy spending time with family and friends, gardening, quilting, cooking, sewing, and sharing knowledge and experience with others.

April 16, 2025

Adult Learning, Child Development, Cleaning, Consumer Management, Entomology, Equipment, Family Time, Food Preparation, Food Preservation, Food Safety, Nutrition, recipes, Stain removal 50th Anniversary, history, Mary Jo Williams

2 Comments

Staying Safe During Tick Season

April 8, 2025 Marlene Geiger 8 Comments

Spring brings green grass, flowers, leaves on the trees, and lots of outdoor time. And unfortunately, ticks are also part of spring. As temperatures rise above freezing in the spring, over-wintered ticks are on the move again posing a risk of tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease and others. Tick populations vary greatly from place to place and year to year. Ticks are most active from March to November with peak activity in April, May, and June. Ticks live and crawl on low-lying vegetation and attach to small mammals, pets, or people as they pass by. Ticks crawl upward to find a place to bite as they seek blood to reproduce.

There are more than a dozen different tick varieties throughout the Midwest; there are three that one is most likely to encounter–the American dog tick, the lone star tick, and the blacklegged tick.

Blacklegged Tick also known as deer tick or bear tick male, female, nymph, and larva stages

The American Dog Tick is also known as the wood tick. These ticks are found predominantly in grassy fields as well as along walkways and trails. They feed on a variety of warm blooded animals. Without a host, they may survive up to two years but need a host to move to the next stage of their development. Although they are abundant, the American dog tick is not considered to be a serious human health threat in Iowa. They can transmit diseases such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever; however, this disease is not common in Iowa or Minnesota.

Image of Lone Star Tick next to the edge of a dime

The Lone Star Tick is abundant in the south central and southeastern US and in recent years has become common in Iowa as well. It is recognized by the white dot on the back of the adult female. The adult feeds on large mammals while the immature ticks prefer birds and small mammals. These ticks are usually found in bushy and grassy areas and can transmit the bacteria of several diseases but not Lyme Disease.

American Dog Tick compared to the edge of dime

The Blacklegged Tick is also known as the deer tick or bear tick and is the known carrier of Lyme Disease. This tick takes two years to complete its life cycle and is found predominately in woody, brushy areas. Both the nymph (about the size of a poppy seed) and adult (1/8” or smaller) stages are capable of transmitting Lyme Disease. To transmit Lyme disease, deer ticks need to be attached for a significant length of time (48-72+ hours), so daily tick checks can be an important step in reducing the risks of Lyme Disease.

If you are unsure about a tick, you can submit it for identification to the Iowa State University Plant and Insect Diagnostic Clinic. ISU does not test ticks for pathogens as testing ticks for pathogen presence is not useful.

There are some simple precautions one can take to protect self, family and friends, and pets from ticks and the diseases they carry. These include:

Avoid prime tick habitat such as weedy vegetation.
Wear long-sleeved clothing and tuck pants into socks or wear leggings.
Use EPA-registered repellents such as DEET or picaridin.
Spray shoes with permethrin.
Use a tick preventative product on pets (dogs).
Conduct regular tick checks including pets.

After being outdoors, make it a routine to check clothing and your body. A good tip is to disrobe in a dry bathtub where ticks that might fall off can be easily seen and disposed of. If a tick has attached, it is important to remove it quickly and correctly. Use this recommended method:

Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
Dispose of a live tick by submersing it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Folk remedies such as burning or coating with polish, detergent, or petroleum jelly are of no benefit and may promote transmission of pathogens.

Most ticks are very sensitive to dryness. After removing clothing, place the clothing in the dryer unless it is soiled (heat will set soil). Blacklegged ticks are most susceptible to heat, while American dog ticks and Lone Star ticks are less susceptible. To be sure each species achieves fatal crispiness, leave clothes in the dryer on high for at least 10 minutes. Soiled clothing should be laundered in water as hot as possible and then dried in the dryer.

______________________________________
This blog was prepared with the help of Dr. Donald R Lewis, Professor Emeritus (Extension Entomologist), Iowa State University Department of Entomology. Tick images are courtesy of and with permission of John Van Dyk, Iowa State University Department of Entomology. http://www.ent.iastate.edu/ A dime is included in the photos to give perspective of size.

Are You Ready for Tick Season? University of Rhode Island.
Spring is Tick Season in Wisconsin. University of Wisconsin.
Ticks and Tick-borne Disease in Iowa . Iowa State University.
Tick Smart Tips. University of Rhode Island.
Preventing Ticks on Pets. CDC
What to Do After a Tick Bite. CDC

Reviewed and updated 3/2025, mg.

Marlene Geiger

March 27, 2025

Entomology, spring tick identification, tick prevention, tick removal, ticks

8 Comments

Collecting Seed and Planting Milkweed for Monarchs

September 24, 2018 Marlene Geiger 5 Comments

In recent years, we have heard and read much about the declining monarch butterfly population due to eradication of milkweed in agricultural and urban areas. Milkweed is critical for the survival of monarchs. It is the only host plant for the monarch caterpillars which feed exclusively on the leaves of milkweed. And besides providing food for caterpillars, the leaves of the milkweed plant are the only place that the female monarchs lay their eggs. As milkweed plants gradually disappeared from the landscape, the monarch populations gradually declined. With the decline, there is urging to plant milkweed to support and increase the monarch population.

Milkweed is essential for the survival of monarchs Monarchs caterpillars rely on milkweed plants as they only eat milkweed. If monarch eggs are laid on plants other than milkweed, the caterpillars cannot survive and ultimately starve to death. Instinctively female monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed plants to provide food for their young.

Milkweed plant Fall is the perfect time to collect and plant milkweed. The first step is to acquire seed. Most milkweed species grow particularly well in undisturbed areas, so start by checking out roadsides, pastures, creek and river banks, railroad track beds, bike paths, highway medians, agricultural field margins, vacant land, cultivated gardens, and parks. In September the seed pods begin to turn brown, split, and open. The seed pod looks like a spiny, bumpy fruit. Pods on a milkweed plant They begin light green in color and gradually over the summer turn yellow-green and eventually sage green to sage grey-brown. As they get to this later stage, they will start to split. Milkweed seed pod beginning to open to release seeds This is the stage that you want for harvesting seeds. When the pod is opened, the seeds inside should be dark brown. If they’re green or light brown, they’re not mature yet and won’t sprout when planted. Close up of milkweed pods beginning to open on the milkweed plant stalk If you don’t see the split or aren’t sure about the color, you can gently push on the pod; if it splits easily and the seeds are brown, it is ready; if it won’t pop open easily, leave it for another time.

Remove the entire seed pod from the plant and place it in a paper or organza bag. Attached to the seeds is the coma, (white, hairy fluff also known as floss, silk, or plume) that is essential to the natural propagation of milkweed in the wild. Milkweed fluff The fluff enables the wind to scatter and disperse the seed over a wide area. Whether the seed is saved to share or use later or planted this fall, the fluff should be removed and it is best to do this before the pod fully opens and explodes. When the seeds are all compact inside the pod, it is easy to do by carefully removing the spine holding the fluff and running your fingers down it; as you do, the seeds fall out easily. Check out the Monarch Butterfly Garden website for a great video on how to do this. If the pod is more mature and already opening with the fluff beginning to take flight, place the pod in a paper bag and shake it vigorously; sometimes it helps to add some coins or washers to the bag to aid this process.

Milkweed needs a period of cold stratification to germinate so that is what makes fall an ideal time to plant milkweed as Mother Nature will do the work during the winter months. November is the best time in the Midwest to plant. The soil needs to be cold enough that the seeds won’t germinate, but not yet frozen. The location chosen should be sunny and an area where you can allow the milkweeds to spread naturally over time as they can become invasive in a perfectly manicured yard or flower garden. A bare patch of moist soil is best. Poke a shallow hole and drop in a seed or two. Cover, water, and lightly mulch for winter protection, and wait for spring. For more tips on planting, see Fall Planting Milkweed Seeds – 10 Simple Steps from the Monarch Butterfly Garden website. Another method of planting is by making and throwing out seed balls.

If you miss the window for fall planting, the seeds can be planted in the spring, too. For additional information on keeping seeds over the winter and planting in the spring or other times, check out the Michigan State University publication, How to Collect and Grow Milkweeds to Help Monarchs and Other Pollinators.

Saving seed and planting milkweed in a designated area would make a great 4-H or school project for any young person interested in monarch habitat. The planting area should be chosen carefully as milkweed grows by underground runners that spread. And for crafters, there are any number of ways to use the dried pods. Inside of a milkweed pod after seeds have been released. Pods are great for crafting. In all cases, please be advised to wear gloves or wash hands frequently when working with milkweed or pods. Milkweed sap (looks like milk) can be an eye irritant, so take appropriate precautions to avoid this kind of discomfort.

Reviewed and updated 6/2024, mg.

Marlene Geiger

March 13, 2025

Child Development, Entomology, Fall, Horticulture 4-H, butterflies, Gardening, milkweed, milkweed seed, monarchs

5 Comments

‘Tis the Season for Fruit Fly Control

September 6, 2018 Marlene Geiger 2 Comments

Macro view of a fruit-fly sitting on a slice of watermelon. Note the red eyes. — Macro view of a fruit-fly sitting on watermelon. Note the red eyes.

As the garden produce has come into the kitchen, so have the fruit flies. Fruit flies are those pesky tiny insects harboring around the kitchen with reddish eyes and are attracted to anything fruit or vegetable in the area. Beyond being a nuisance, they can also carry harmful bacteria. They multiply rapidly so if not controlled quickly, a small problem becomes a big problem.

In addition to hitch-hiking into the home, adult fruit flies are small enough to get through window screens or around the gaps of exterior doors if they sense a food source inside.

One of the best ways to control fruit flies in the home is to practice excellent sanitation, eliminate rotting fruits and vegetables and keep as much food in the refrigerator and closed containers as possible. Keep counters, sinks, and drains clean at all times–even the dishwasher. Trash should be kept tied and taken out frequently, and compost scraps should not be allowed to pileup on the counter. Cracked or damaged portions of fruits and vegetables should be cut off and discarded immediately to prevent infestation. Other breeding areas include empty bottles and cans, garbage disposals, mops, and wet sponges or dishclothes.

Chemical control is not recommended; however, you can make your own traps using attractants commonly found in the kitchen such as cider vinegar, wine or even a small piece of fruit. Put a small amount of the attractant in a glass or jar, add a drop of dishwashing detergent, cover with a plastic wrap that fits tightly to the glass, and poke very small holes in the plastic. Fruit flies will enter the glass but find themselves trapped. The University of Nebraska offered another simple trap using yeast and sugar.

Once you’ve done the work to kill or trap fruit flies, keep them from coming back with these preventative measures:

1. Keep the counter clean. Fruit flies don’t just like to eat fruit; they also like spilled food, crumbs, spilled juice — just about anything. Wipe your counters frequently throughout the day and dry thoroughly.

2. Wash any produce coming into the home. Fruit flies piggyback their way into our homes on fruits and vegetables. By washing fruit and vegetables, you get rid of any eggs that may have been laid on the produce.

3. Keep produce covered or in the refrigerator. If produce must sit on the counter, be sure that it is fully contained and covered.

4. Check onions and potatoes regularly. A rotting potato or onion stored in a cabinet or closet is a great food source.

5. Remove odors immediately. If something smells, chances are it will attracts fruit flies, too. Clean drains, garbage cans, pet bedding, litter boxes and similar things.

Female fruit flies lay 100 or more eggs per day. With the possibility of new eggs hatching, a couple of weeks of diligence will be necessary. Continue using traps, depriving them of food and water, and stepping up sanitary procedures to keep them from breeding and eventually eliminating them from the home.

Reviewed 2/2025, mg.

Marlene Geiger

March 1, 2025

Cleaning, Entomology, Food Preparation, Food Preservation fruit flies, insect control

2 Comments

Dealing with Head Lice

September 25, 2017 Marlene Geiger 2 Comments

With kids back in school, it’s probably only a matter of time until you hear about head lice. Anyone who comes in close contact with someone who already has head lice is at risk for acquiring head lice as they are easily transmitted from head to head. Preschool and elementary-school children and their families are most often infected. While head lice infestation is very common and has been around for centuries, they are contagious, an annoyance and disruption to family life, and sometimes tough to get rid of—been there, done that!

The head louse is a tiny, wingless parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and feeds on tiny amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. While they are frustrating to deal with, they aren’t dangerous as they don’t spread disease. However, their bites make a child’s head itchy and scratching can lead to infection. It is best to treat head lice quickly once they are found as they spread easily from person to person.

Head scratching is usually the first sign that your child has head lice. However, when scratching is noticed, the child already has an active case. Therefore, it is best to check your child’s scalp weekly for nits (lice eggs) by parting the child’s hair into small sections and looking particularly near the scalp, around and behind the ears, and near the neckline at the back of the head. Even though small, nits can be seen by the naked eye. Adult lice lay eggs on the hair shafts close to the scalp; nits look like dandruff, but can’t be removed by brushing or shaking them off. The eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they have been laid. After hatching, the egg casing remains firmly attached to the hair shaft and the newly immerged nymphs, smaller than a sesame seed with six tiny legs, are on the move seeking blood to survive. Nymphs become adults within 1 to 2 weeks and are gray-white in color and about the size of a sesame seed. Nymphs and adults are often harder to spot as they move fast. See the Center for Disease Control (CDC) website for pictures of the various lice stages and for the best information on how to treat lice.

Lice cannot jump or survive long without a human host. They cannot spread to pets as they can only survive on human blood. They are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. Cleaning is a necessary part of ridding the home of head lice. Here are some simple, but time consuming, ways to get rid of lice and prevent re-infestation:

Wash all bed linens and clothing that’s been recently worn by the infested person in very hot water; dry with the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes.
Put stuffed animals and non-washable items in airtight bags for at least 3 days. Place the bags in the garage or someplace away from constant human contact.
Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture (car seats, too); dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag in an airtight bag away from the home.
Clean hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes by soaking in rubbing alcohol or medicated shampoo for an hour. If tolerated, these items can also be washed in the dishwasher.

Finally, know that having head lice is NOT a sign of poor hygiene or a dirty home. They are a problem for all mankind. Remind your kids to avoid head-to-head contact with other children and avoid sharing brushes and hair/head attire. Most importantly, help them understand that while having lice can be embarrassing, they have not done anything wrong and they are not dirty.

Marlene Geiger

February 7, 2025

Child Development, Cleaning, Entomology, Laundry

2 Comments

Ants in the house

August 21, 2017 Liz Meimann

We have been having a lot of calls about ants in the home lately and I must confess, I’ve been seeing them in my house this summer too. We put a kitchen and great room addition on to our house last summer. We made every effort to seal things up tightly to prevent mice and insects from entering. I was sad to see some ants on my kitchen counter today before I came into work. I thought that a bit of research was in order to see just how or where the ants were entering.

The first place to look is in obvious cracks or seams where the wall comes together. This isn’t an issue at my house. Second would be to look at gaps in the foundation. Again, that doesn’t seem to be an issue for me. The article that I looked at suggested that ants may already have spaces under the floor or carpeting where they already have trails established. I know that could be an issue in an older section of the house but I hope that they do not have any trails in the newer parts of my home. Older windows that do not fit tight can also be a point of entry for the ants. Doors that no longer fit tightly will allow ants to enter. The best possibility for ants to enter my home is, I think, the holes that we drilled in the walls to allow electric, phone, cable and gas lines. Another alternative that I don’t like to think about is the possibility that the ants may have been born inside my house.

If I want to keep ants out, there are a few simple steps that will make my home less attractive to the ants. I can seal up cracks and calk around the gas and other lines that enter my home. Keeping things clean in the kitchen, rinsing sticky dishes and being sure that there are no crumbs or pet food available to the ants will help. Ants also look for moisture, so leaky faucets should be repaired and changing the pet’s water bowl often should help reduce the possibility of ants in the home.

I will take a fresh look around my home tonight after work and see just what I need to do to eliminate the ants inside my house before they become a problem.

Liz Meimann

I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food Science at Iowa State University. I love to quilt, sew, cook, and bake. I spent many years gardening, canning, and preserving food for my family when my children were at home.

Prevent Clothing Moths

May 18, 2017 Liz Meimann 2 Comments

The warm weather makes me want to finish up cleaning and storing winter items. I typically wash all our winter coats, hats, mittens, and scarves. The flannel sheets and heavy blankets are clean and stored away. The next thing I need to do is wash or dry-clean all our woolen sweaters and shirts and store them to prevent damage from clothing moths.

Once cleaned, I store them in a cool, dry place, away from any potential sunlight or moisture that could warp or discolor the fabric. When you’re looking to expand or refresh your hat collection, it’s a good idea to consider adding versatile pieces that will carry you through multiple seasons. One great option is headwear from TheGoodwellCompany.com, offering a selection of high-quality hats made from durable, stylish materials.

Whether you’re in need of a chic summer hat or a cozy winter option, their collection provides a range of styles to match any look or occasion. Investing in well-made hats can help elevate your wardrobe while also providing the protection you need from the elements, so you can enjoy them year after year.

I did a little research on clothing moths since it has been a while since we had any questions from AnswerLine callers on this topic. These moths like to lay eggs on woolen and other animal fiber articles of clothing. There are actually two different species of clothing moths.

The case making clothes moth and the webbing clothes moth both appear very similar. They are both yellowish in color and about ¼ inch long. They look a bit fluttery when flying and both avoid the light. Their fully grown larvae are about ½ inch long and white when brownish-black heads. Both will spin a feeding tube or protective case into the fabric that they are feeding upon.

This larval stage is the only life stage when the insect feeds; the eggs and adult moths do not damage clothing. The clothing moths prefer quiet dark areas like closets, attics and seldom used drawers or trunks. If you store an item for a long time in one of those quiet spots the item is particularly at risk. Moths typically will not damage anything in a high traffic or use area.

You may be wondering how to prevent a clothing moth infestation. The best answer to this is to be meticulous in keeping both the storage area and the garments clean. Vacuuming will remove eggs and laundering or dry cleaning will also destroy the eggs. Cleaning items will also remove food stains and body oils which will also attract moths. You may need to brush or leave items in the bright sunlight to get rid of larvae or eggs. Remember to brush the items outdoors so you don’t re-infest your home.

Freezing is another alternative to control the larvae or eggs in an item that you cannot wash or dry-clean. You must leave the item in a freezer set at 0F for at least 48-72 hours. This will be great if you have stuffed animals or items with feathers on them.

After your items are cleaned, store them in a tightly sealed container. You may want to choose a tightly sealed plastic tub. Cedar does contain oil that acts as an insecticide but is only effective if tightly contained. A cedar closet is not typically tight enough to actually kill the moths. Moth balls can be effective if placed inside a tightly sealed container but they are toxic and you may want to avoid using them. The odor of the mothballs is very long lasting so you may choose to just use the tightly sealed tub alone.

It looks like I have a project for this weekend, but once I get everything cleaned it will be safely stored for the summer.

Liz Meimann

Prevent Box Elder Bugs

July 27, 2015 Liz Meimann

It seems really early in the year to be thinking about Box Elder Bugs but this is the time of year to work at preventing an infestation next fall. Use a tube of calking to seal up sites where the bugs can enter the house. Check cracks in the foundation or house siding and gaps around the windows or doors. It may seem like a big job, but with the arrival of nice weather you can break the job down into smaller parts. Perhaps do one side of the house every week this month.

Later in the year, you can spray massing box elder bugs with Sevin, Diazinon, or Orthene. You can also make a spray of soapy water using 5 tablespoons of liquid detergent per gallon of water. This is a very effective spray but does not have any residual effect.

Take a little time this summer to slow or eliminate the entry of Box Elder Bugs into your home.

Liz Meimann

What to do about boxelder bugs

April 21, 2014 Beth Marrs

Are you being inundated with boxelder bugs? Fortunately they are harmless, not disease bearing, they do not damage the house, its furnishings or occupants but they are definitely a nuisance and can be difficult to control!

The good news is that there are ways to manage and control these pests. By using safe pest control methods, such as caulking and sealing entry points or using insecticides like Sevin or Diazinon, you can keep boxelder bugs from entering your home in the first place. And if they do find their way inside, simple methods like vacuuming or sweeping them up can help keep their numbers under control. For more information on visit website Safe Pest Control.

If you’re dealing with pesky boxelder bugs in Orem, Utah, finding reliable pest control services is key to managing these nuisances effectively. Companies like Orem Pest Control offer a range of solutions tailored to local pest issues, ensuring your home remains comfortable and pest-free year-round. Their expertise includes not only addressing current infestations but also implementing preventative measures to stop pests from re-entering your home. Whether you’re dealing with boxelder bugs or other common pests in the area, these specialists are equipped to handle the job with expertise and care.

By partnering with Orem Pest Control, you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your home is protected against unwanted intruders, allowing you to focus on enjoying your space without the annoyance of pests. Their proactive approach and commitment to customer satisfaction make them a trusted choice for residents looking to maintain a pest-free environment in Orem and the surrounding areas.

Dealing with nuisance pests like boxelder bugs can indeed be frustrating for homeowners. While these insects pose no direct threat to health or property, their presence can still disrupt daily life. Fortunately, effective pest and termite control methods exist to manage and mitigate such infestations. With the guidance of knowledgeable pest control experts, homeowners can implement comprehensive strategies tailored to their specific needs, ensuring long-term relief from bothersome pests like boxelder bugs.

Navigating the challenges posed by nuisance pests requires a balanced approach that considers both traditional and green pest control solutions. While conventional methods may offer immediate relief, sustainable practices are increasingly sought after for their environmentally friendly benefits. From targeted treatments to eco-friendly deterrents, pest control experts can tailor their approach to suit the unique needs and preferences of each household. By prioritizing long-term solutions over temporary fixes, homeowners can enjoy lasting relief from pests like boxelder bugs while supporting environmentally responsible practices.

According to our Iowa State University Entomologists during the summer months, they live, feed and reproduce on trees, shrubs and other plants. They are not restricted to box elder trees as is commonly assumed, but will also be found on other trees, most commonly maples. They feed on the sap from the host plant but do not cause significant damage to the plant. They become nuisance pests in the fall when they leave the plant to find hiding places for the winter. During their search for warmth they congregate on the south sides of buildings, trees and rocks. From there they stray into houses through cracks in the foundation and siding, gaps along windows and doors and other small openings. There they remain inactive while it is cold until they are warmed by the heat from a furnace or the sun and they crawl out into the rooms.

The best deterrent is to prevent their entry into your house by caulking and sealing possible entry sites. Spraying with a lawn and garden insecticide (suggestions include Sevin, Diazinon or Orthene) or soapy water spray (5 tablespoons of liquid detergent per gallon of water) outside on the masses of bugs perched on and along the foundation in the fall can give some relief. Repeated applications are usually necessary when using a soapy water spray. Professional pest control operators can also be used for exterior treatment in the fall.

Once the boxelder bugs are in your house they are generally not killed by the “flying insect” aerosol household insecticide products. The residual insecticides such as “ant and roach killers” also have not been shown to be of much benefit. A sure control for bugs already in the house is to remove them as they appear by vacuuming, sweeping or picking them up and discarding.

For more information on insecticides available to homeowners please see “Insecticides in the Home Landscape and Garden”

Beth Marrs

I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in Adult Home Economics Education. I love to cook and entertain and spend time with my family.

June 25, 2024

Entomology, Home Environment

Category: Entomology

Celebrating 50 Years! -A Conversation with Mary Jo Williams, AnswerLine’s First Operator

Marlene Geiger

Staying Safe During Tick Season

Marlene Geiger

Collecting Seed and Planting Milkweed for Monarchs

Marlene Geiger

‘Tis the Season for Fruit Fly Control

Marlene Geiger

Dealing with Head Lice

Marlene Geiger

Ants in the house

Liz Meimann

Prevent Clothing Moths

Liz Meimann

Prevent Box Elder Bugs

Liz Meimann

What to do about boxelder bugs

Beth Marrs

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