I love nature, but when it comes to boxelder bugs….yuck.

Each year, the little visitors decide to hang out on the side of my house – making my normally plain siding littered with black bug dots.

As I made my way through several communities on Tuesday, I felt like they were following me everywhere. From French Park to CVS, the boxelder bugs are out in full force.

Although the ugly little bug doesn’t pose any real harm to trees or plants, they can be irritating in and around homes.  If you want to avoid dealing with the boxelder bugs, locally owned Adam’s Pest Control has a few chemical-free tips prevent the pest from getting inside:

• Seal or caulk any possible entry points around the building.

• Keep window and doors shut and use screens.

• Install insect light traps in possible overwintering sites, such as attics and basements.

• If they make it inside, vacuum instead of crushing.

“In the fall box elders will again swarm the southerly facing walls of your home in preparation for winter. They’re looking for a warm place to spend the winter and if they’re on your house it means they’ve found their spot,” Maple Grove based Levahn Brothers wrote on their website. “If you don’t want them covering your house in the spring or getting into your house during the winter months I suggest taking care of them in the fall.”

The battle of the black bugs has begun – will you join the war?