Keep This Common Herb Around The House To Ward Off Pesky Boxelder Bugs

It might seem ludicrous that we humans are afraid of a bug only a fraction of our size, but some have really earned the reputation they get. The boxelder bug belongs in this category because of the rancid smell it releases when it gets threatened or squished. They scurry indoors through holes and crevices, especially during the colder months. Although they are generally harmless and don't damage property or pose any threat to pets, the stench of the boxelder bug is enough to land them a permanent spot on the nuisance list. Fortunately, you can head over to your garden for a few snips of thyme in order to keep this pest off of your property.

Boxelder bugs have a keen sense of smell, which they pick up with their antennas. They use their antenna for many important purposes, such as mating, food sourcing, and reading the chemical signals of other boxelders. Strong smells like thyme can drive them away because they interfere with the bug's natural communication signals. Using thyme to control these pesky bugs is a great way to prevent them from feeling so threatened that they give off even more of their disgusting scent and risk staining your property.

Boxelders possess abdominal scent glands that release a putrid stench when you step on them or in self-defense. In any case, you don't want these smelly intruders anywhere near your home. Using pesticides inside the house isn't advisable, so thyme is the perfect candidate to deter boxelder bugs. 

Fresh thyme is very aromatic and contains all the properties you need to drive away boxelder bugs. You can snip off a few sprigs of the herb from your garden and place them in and around your home. Because the boxelder bugs enter from cracks and crevices near doors and windows, placing the thyme sprigs there would be strategic. 

Another way you can utilize thyme is by boiling it with water to create thyme tea. Pick a few sprigs of thyme from your garden and chop up the leaves to release the juices. You can alternatively use a few heaped teaspoons of the dried herb instead. Then, boil them until the water turns green. You can keep the leaves in the tea or sieve them out before pouring them into a spray bottle. Use this as a repellent by misting those strategic areas, and you'll rid your home of those pesky autumn pests.