Permaculture boxelder control

My landlord just had the guy out for the annual boxelder spraying. Has anyone come up with ways to successfully reduce their numbers so that I can get her to stop spraying?

~~~ EDiT: Scratch the tree part... see my next post.~~~~
Mathew we could use some more details.

What is the problem?  Are these boxelder trees?

What is your property like?

What problem are the boxelder supposedly causing?

if this is one or two acres and these are boxelder sapplings.... are you able to manually cut them off at the ground(not above... the leftover trunk may be hard enough once dried to puncture tires) or dig them up/out?

is there a mother tree nearby that is doing the seeding?  Can it be removed?

All these details and more will help get you a good answer.

Thanks so much!  Good luck!

sorry... just noticed this was posted in "bugs".

so..... not trees/sappings.  huh.

Again..... all details possible will help get you a good answer.

Habitat?  where do they live/hide?
What problems are they causing?
Where are you???  Predators that may help.... may not live survive where you are.  So location will help.

When are they seen/ cause trouble?

etc etc

Assuming you're talking about the boxelder bug?

I am paraphrasing the wikipedia article, but it states that they overwinter in duff and in human-protected spaces. If you minimise the duff of the species they like, primarily boxelders, but also maples and ashes, you may be able to drastically cut their numbers. They will still be found in sheltered spaces like behind house sidings.

The only other controls possible are the removal of the tree species they prefer, as far as I can tell. Spiders are minor predators, but because boxelder bugs congregate together and produce an unpalatable taste/smell, there doesn't seem to be anything that wants to eat them.

Good luck, though. I really don't like it when it's hard to find a non-spray solution. Please let us know how you do.

-CK