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Learn From The Pros
Common House Beetles in
New Jersey
You know that New Jersey gets many bugs due to the proximity to the ocean, the scorching hot summers, and the cold winters. However, one particular type of bug is devastating to the crops as well as your household items. Sadly, many folks don’t think of common house beetles as a threat to their home or garden, but they can be an expensive problem to handle.
While they’re not as menacing as the cockroach or the termite, house beetles can cause significant issues too.
Beetles are everywhere in this state, and there are an estimated 350,000 different species world-wide. Thankfully, there are nowhere near that many beetles that call the Garden State home. But still, if you don’t get control of these bugs rather quickly, you may find that they’ve overtaken your home or office.
A few beetles crawling through the yard is normal, but an overabundance is a real sign of trouble. The key is to learn the behaviors of this pest and take preventive measures to avoid such an issue.
Understanding Common House Beetles
The number of beetles that exist is ever-changing as more species are being uncovered continuously. Variations between the species are also vast—some have horns and pinchers while others come in beautiful colors and have distinct behaviors. In the Garden State, entomologists have identified 131 varieties you might see lurking in your garden.
When identifying these pests, you may confuse them with other bugs because many of them look similar. You will notice with almost all the species, the sharp mandibles that they have in the front. Without the mandible, killing their prey and chewing their food would be difficult.
Their vast size differences mean that some beetles are as small as an ant, and others can be larger than your hand. So, the variation between these bugs is immense. Consequently, if you see a bug as large as your hand hanging out in your garden, you should take a picture and call pest control. The little fellas can bother you just as much as the bigger ones, even though the larger ones may be the less harmless of the two.
Not all common house beetles are an indication of trouble. Some can be beneficial for your garden. For instance, certain species like ladybugs (or lady beetles), ground beetles, and flower beetles can dine on bugs that destroy your plants or are great pollinators. You don’t want snails, cutworms, aphids, or mealybugs hanging around, and beetles love to eat them.
With all the good beetles come some bad ones too, and those that destroy your gardens and trees are not good to have around. Two that are specifically a nuisance are the emerald ash borer which destroys ash trees in the area and the powder post beetle known for wreaking havoc indoors around wood and furniture. Since they have a craving for wood products, many confuse these pests with termites or carpenter ants.
Beetles can be just as damaging as termites, but they look nothing alike. Please make no mistake; they can destroy the foundation of your home or business with their incessant chewing. Wood isn’t the only substance a beetle may feast on, as some prefer carpeting. Carpet beetles love to sink their teeth into your carpet or fabric.
Are Beetles Dangerous?
While you may not label beetles as a danger to your health like mice and rats, they can pose some risks to you. Like all bugs, they walk across your counters and kitchen table for starters. Since they stroll through feces when they’re outside, they can transfer particles of the fecal matter to your food.
If you eat some of the tainted food unknowingly, it can make you extremely sick. No one wants infected materials lying on their food, so it’s essential to get it taken care of quickly if you have a beetle issue.
Controlling Common Beetles Near You
Spring and summer are the times when beetles are the most active. During the harsh winters here in the northeast, adult bugs go into hibernation. However, if they’re living inside your home, they can be alert year-round. You can have larvae, nymphs, and adults all thriving in your home or business no matter what time of year under these conditions.
Since most pests are attracted to food, you must clean up your mess as soon as you’re done eating. Get a garbage can that has a lid that covers, and never keep food in unsealed containers. Other significant issues are cracks around windows, doors, and gaps in your foundation. Since some of these bugs are incredibly small, they can quickly get into these cracks without issue.
Take time and do inventory around your home to see where bugs and vermin can enter—the more proactive you are about these issues, the less you will need to exterminate. Due to the vast number of common house beetles that exist, it’s often incredibly challenging for the untrained person to know which beetle has moved in.
However, our trained professionals know all too well the common bugs that cause problems for fellow New Jersey homes and businesses, and we know what works best to get rid of them. We will devise an IPM or Integrated Pest Management plan for you. We care what’s bugging you, and we have the methods necessary to eradicate the problem.