The Rhopalidae family of insects is more commonly known as the box elder bug.  It is a scentless plant bug, which is identified by its blackish body with red markings.

Box elder bugs usually feed on flowers and the seed pods of various trees (ex. Box elder tree, silver maple, and ash).  The bugs are usually found on the pod-bearing trees (female) in large numbers.  They can also be found on other plants and trees, but not in as large numbers. 

Box Elder bugs usually live all year round, only in the fall they enter houses and find small cracks and crevices to live in through the winter.  The bugs cause little to no damage on anything, even trees.  There should be no worries if you find one in your house, they are more nuisances then they are a problem.

 The life cycle of the box elder bug beings in the spring when the adult bugs lay eggs and nymphs emerge a few days later.  The nymphs are smaller and show more red markings then the adult box elder bugs.  During the summer, the nymphs mature into adults, mate, lay eggs which then hatch into nymphs.  In late summer the nymphs are more noticeable when they gather around tree trunks and migrate to a warm place for the winter.

Material Sources: www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/boxelder.html
www.insects.org/entophiles/hemiptera/hemi_001.html

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