Beetle Infestations: Identification, Prevention, and Control

Can Beetles Really Invade Your Home?

It’s customary to turn on a light outside your home and watch a swarm of bugs fly towards it. New Jersey is home to millions of bugs and insects, many of which are attracted to any illumination. Have you ever covered your head and ran out the door, hoping none would find their way inside?

Insects are pests, but is there a way that you can prevent them from getting into your home? While they’re not a roach or a termite, you might be shocked to learn that beetles can indeed infest your home in certain circumstances. Naturally, beetles prefer to be in the great outdoors, but some may find their way into your house looking for shelter, food, or a place to breed.

The Most Common Beetles to infest in New Jersey

While there are thousands of species in this state, here are some you may encounter in your home and how to prevent such an occurrence.

1. Flour Beetles

One of the most common beetles in your home is the flour, grain, or pantry variety. These critters make their way in through store-bought products. Things like all-purpose flour, cereal, grains, and even dried fruits can provide easy transportation.

The beetles get inside the store containers, and once they’re inside the safety of these vessels, they multiply. They can spread to other food storage in your home, and with the price of groceries these days, the loss in food can quickly add up. Flour beetles are small and contain two species: confused flour and red flour.

Confused Flour Beetle – The confused flour beetle is extended with a flat body, and it will grow up to 3 millimeters in length. They have a rough outer texture due to the hairs that cover their exterior. Their body is divided into three segments, and they have wings but can’t fly far.

Red Flour Beetle – Red flour beetles are a little smaller, coming in at around 2.5 millimeters fully grown. They are also reddish-brown in color, have long bodies with a rough texture, and prefer to crawl rather than fly.

• Prevention Measures: It’s important to promptly identify and address flour beetle infestations to prevent contamination of food supplies and minimize damage to stored products. Proper sanitation, sealing food in airtight containers, and maintaining clean storage areas can help prevent and control flour beetle infestations. Also, ensure to periodically check your stock when you grocery shop to ensure there are no infestations that can cause problems.

2. Carpet Beetles

Do you have carpet in your home? If so, you’re in danger of getting carpet beetles. These pests like rugs, but they will also feast on clothing and upholstery. They can cause thousands of dollars in damage to expensive pieces like wool and fur, and they can eat away at a couch, living room carpet, or anything else with fiber to satisfy them.

• Appearance: Carpet beetles are small, making them easily one of the common household pests. They have an oval shape and can be anywhere from 1.5 to 4 millimeters long. Their body is covered in small hairs, giving them a slightly fuzzy appearance. The colors vary greatly depending on the species but typically come in yellow, white, brown, or black variations. Like many beetles, they have wings but don’t use them much. They crawl better than they can fly.
• Prevention Measures: Preventing carpet beetle infestations requires a combination of good housekeeping practices, such as adequately storing at-risk items and sealing entry points to your home. Things like routine cleaning, vacuuming, periodic inspections, and monitoring can make a big difference.

3. Wood-Boring Beetles

There are many beetles that make up the wood-boring species. Like termites, these beetles have an aptitude for wood, so they lay their eggs inside the cracks and crevasses of wood products. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae begin to eat their way through the wood to get nourishment, which can cause significant damage over time.

• Appearance: Wood-boring beetles are a diverse group of insects that infest and damage wood. Different species of wood-boring beetles have distinct appearances but generally share some common characteristics.

Powderpost Beetles – The powderpost beetle ranges from 3-6 millimeters in length. They are typically a reddish-brown color but can also be black. Their bodies are long and slender, and they have a smooth and shiny appearance.

Deathwatch Beetles – Deathwatch beetles are also around 3-6 millimeters in length. They are either brown or black, and their body is cylindrical. Unlike the powderpost, their exterior is not smooth, as it has hairs all over it. The slightly rough texture makes it look like they have scales.

Longhorn Beetles – The longhorn beetle can be anywhere from 6-50 millimeters in length. Their color patterns vary greatly, as they can be gray, black, brown, or bright in various patterns. Most have a smooth body, but a few species within this category have tiny hairs on their body.

The Old House Borer – This is another large beetle that can range from 12 to 25 millimeters. The exterior is gray to black, and it often has lighter gray patches on its wings. Its body is smooth but elongated, and its antennae are rather long.

The Ambrosia Beetles – These beetles are typically 3-6 millimeters in length. They come in hues of brown or black. Their bodies are smooth and shiny and have a cylindrical shape.

• Prevention Measures: Preventing wood-boring beetle infestations requires proper wood storage, maintenance, and the use of environmental controls. Keeping moisture levels low by fixing any leaks and using a dehumidifier is essential. Keep wood appropriately stored, and this includes the smaller pieces that are used for woodworking and crafts. When it comes to house remodeling projects, it’s always best to use treated wood to prevent any issues.

4. Ground Beetles

Ground beetles are typically found under rocks, logs, leaves, and in the soil. They don’t purposely try to come inside your home, but they may accidentally get in there from open doors or windows. These beetles won’t last long inside and won’t damage any structures. Thankfully, there are no health risks with their presence either.

The Asiatic Garden beetles are one of those ground beetles that often make their way into your home. They’re large, and mincing critter that often perishes soon after it enters. You can’t help but notice its presence, and the loud noises it makes as it flounders can be eerie. Thankfully, they’re no harm to you. Their large and in charge appearance doesn’t matter as they can’t bite or sting. While they have teeth, they’re not strong enough to penetrate through your tough skin.

• Appearance: Ground beetles range anywhere from 3 to 25 millimeters in length. They can be dark colored, often black, brown, metallic green, or blue. However, some even have iridescent hues on their exterior. They are built to run fast, so their bodies are flat and elongated.

Their giant head and substantial mandibles help them to hunt and stay protected in the wild. They have excellent vision thanks to their prominent compound eyes. There are three main types of ground beetles found here in New Jersey, they are:

Common Black Ground Beetles – This species has a shiny black body that is around 12 millimeters long. They’re elongated and smooth with a long and slender antenna.

Green Metallic Ground Beetles – These beetles are around 25 millimeters long. They have beautiful metallic green colors with gold around their edges. Their bodies are flat and broad, and their antennae are long and thin like thread.

Fiery Searcher Beetles – These beetles are anywhere from 25-38 millimeters long. Their beautiful iridescent exterior with blue-green hues makes them one of the more colorful varieties. Their bodies are thick and elongated, and their antennae are long and curved.

• Prevention Measures: Ground beetles are beneficial insects, as they help to control pest populations, but they can become a nuisance if they enter your home. Seal any cracks or gaps around windows, doors, and the foundation to keep them away. Outdoor lighting fixtures are big attractions, so use yellow or sodium vapor lights that aren’t as appealing to them. Keeping your lawn free of debris like mulch, leaf litter, and sticks can help to keep them at bay.

Signs of a Beetle Infestation

Recognizing a beetle infestation in your home isn’t difficult if you know what to look for. Different types of beetles may leave different clues, but you want to watch for visibility, damaged goods, frass or droppings, unpleasant odors, and strange noises.

1. Visibility

One of the first signs that you have a problem is that you will see beetles, either alive or dead. Remember, just like roaches and other bugs, for everyone you see, there are many more that you can’t see. Monitor the number of bugs you encounter, and you may need professional help to get rid of them, depending on the type of beetle.

2. Damage to Materials

If you’re dealing with flour beetles, you’ll find them in your pantry and items like cereal, flour, or grains. Some prefer fabrics like carpet beetles, but they will also destroy your clothing.

The wood-boring beetles prefer to snack on lumber, which means they can eat the beams and flooring of a home and cause structural problems. Looking for signs of tunneling in the wood, random holes in clothing, and checking the pantry can help you ensure you’re safe from all of these beetles with voracious appetites.

3. Frass and Droppings

Beetles produce frass and leave droppings of excrement at their active sites. Frass is simply a granular material like sawdust. You will find it near the wood structures or at other infestation sites. Sadly, Droppings can be mixed into your flour or cereals as the beetles eat and defecate simultaneously.

4. Unpleasant Odors

When there are many beetles in your home, they can produce an unpleasant odor that’s musty and stale. It often comes from the droppings they leave behind and the smell their bodies make. You need to investigate if you smell anything that’s unpleasant.

5. Noise

Some beetles make a lot of noise. The deathwatch beetle uses their legs to create a tapping or clicking sound. You can hear it as they tunnel through the wood in your home. While you’re likely not going to listen to it while the TV is playing or the kids are wrestling about, their noise can be hard to miss in the quietness. Any strange noises shouldn’t be dismissed as they could indicate there’s trouble luring nearby.

Getting Help With A Beetle Infestation

It would be so easy to spray a repellent, and the beetles would all disappear. If they’ve infested your home, you have a stubborn variety that will not leave quickly. While beetles prefer to be outside, those who love to eat grains, carpeting, and wood will find that your home is the perfect place to thrive.

While you can certainly get rid of piles of excess clothes, throw out tainted food, and do other things to help move them out, it’s always best to consult a professional about these matters. Beetles, especially carpet and wood borers, can be tenacious, and their destruction can cost you dearly. Contacting a local pest control professional with experience and the right chemicals can be very beneficial.

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