How to Identify and Prevent a Beetle Infestation in Your Home
No one wants any type of bug or insect to make themselves at home in their house - but it happens. From ants to mosquitoes to flies, all types of crawling or flying pests can find your home a cozy place to live. One you may not immediately think about infesting your home is a beetle. If you think these critters have made their way into your house, learn how to properly identify If they have and how to treat your home against these insects.
What to Look For
Damage you can see. Visible damage should be a giveaway that your home has beetles. Look at your furniture, rugs, carpets, clothing and anything else that is made of any type of fabric or has fabric on it.
Look for the larva. Beetle larvae are small, hairy and reddish-brown in color. You'll mostly find them in your closet, hidden deep in the carpet or in those darkened corners you may not have swept in a while.
Check your food. If you have dried herbs, grains or flour stored in your home, look there for traces of a beetle. Damaged containers or finding larva or live beetles would be a giveaway they have infested your stored food.
You spot a beetle flying around. You will definitely know you have beetles in the home if you see an adult one.
How to Treat For Beetles
Keeping beetles away from your stored food and out of your home isn't a terribly exhausting process and can be done with a bit of deep cleaning.
Store your food properly. Whatever you store in your pantry, make sure it is closed, sealed or in a container with a lid to keep beetles and all bugs out of it.
Keep the clutter out. Bugs love clutter as it gives them places to hide, breed and lay their larva. It also feels good to declutter your home, so start in one drawer or one room and work your way around the house over time.
Reduce your home's moisture. Mosquitoes, beetles and other bugs love damp conditions to breed and lay eggs. Check for drips, leaks and other ways moisture could build up in your home.
Protect the perimeter of your home. Bugs can enter your home in the smallest cracks. Check all doors and windows for any holes and make sure your screens are all free of tears. Caulk and fill any gaps anywhere around your home, by the foundation or anywhere else you find points of entry a bug could use.
Clean it up. Every home could use a really good deep cleaning. From baseboards to ceiling fans that often get overlooked, clean every nook and cranny in your house. Sweep those corners that are harder to reach and get the duster out for the ceilings.
Run the vacuum. To get carpet beetles and other bugs out of fabrics, use a vacuum often, and don't forget crevices you don't always clean.
Wash everything. Anything that you can wash, from blankets to clothes to other fabric items, needs a good wash to take away potential food sources for beetles and other bugs.
Pest Control Services
When in doubt, or if you have done all of the tips and you still can't get the beetles to move somewhere else, you may need a professional pest control service. The compassionate and knowledgeable team at your local MosquitoNix would be able to talk you through what would be best for your home.
Beetles might be one of the cuter bugs that make their way into your home, but they are just as destructive as any of them and can ruin your food stores and damage your property if not taken care of. Know how to identify if they have moved into your house and how to get them to move out - and don't forget about your friends at MosquitoNix if you need to take things to the next level.
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