Damage from Beetles
Beetles are generally known to cause damage to either food, wood, or fabric in homes. Powder post beetles, one of the types of beetles that damages hardwood, are common in North Texas and usually cause headaches for Texas homeowners. Larvae are burrowed in and eat the wood inside homes, causing damage to the structures they grew up in. You can spot wood damage from termites by looking for small exit holes, usually the size of the tip of a pen and with some sawdust around the edges.
Fabric, on the other hand, is mostly damaged by carpet beetles. Carpet beetle larvae eat high protein items, such as leather, silk, fur, feathers, etc. It is difficult to tell when there is carpet beetle damage, leaving clothes and other fabrics to slowly degrade while the beetle population grows. Cases of carpet beetles, along with clothes moths, are on the rise in the US due to the increased use of natural fibers over synthetic fibers.
Beetle Prevention
It’s entirely possible to avoid issues from beetles before they infest. Knowing what attracts beetles is the first step you can take to prevent any infestations in your own home. Food will be the first thing that attracts beetles, so you will want to make sure any food is properly sealed off. If anything gets infected, take it out immediately. Additionally, any food in a trash can will bring them in. Take out your trash often, since beetles (along with rodents, ants and many other pests) will be attracted to and migrate indoors if they find any rotting food in the trash.
Lights might also be attracting beetles. Standard white light bulbs will attract most kinds of beetles. Outdoor lighting is notorious for attracting any critter with wings. Keeping the lights off when unused not only saves energy, but also keeps you from having to deal with as many pests in the future. On top of light, beetles are attracted to moisture. Check indoors for any leaking pipes or look for any signs of damage around pipes.
Preventing beetles outdoors is a tricky endeavor. Plants bearing nectar, such as flowers and fruit trees can give beetles their food to live. However, getting too aggressive in beetle control, as removing food sources and breeding sites will cause current beetle populations to seek shelter indoors. It is a difficult thing to balance, especially if you have a garden outside.
Already Have Them?
Beetles are a tough pest to remove. If you’re lucky, they’re out in the open and a vacuum can take them out. Any infested food or garments would need to be thrown out and replaced. Wood boring beetles require careful pruning outdoors, and often require chemical treatments indoors.
The issue with trying to control beetles on your own is that most pest control methods are mainly effective on adults. Beetles mature through different life stages, all of which are long and vary greatly depending on the type of beetle. It can be years before a beetle reaches adulthood, so when you see adult beetles there are probably way more growing.
That is why recurring pest control services are the best way to solve pest issues in the long term. At Tactical pest services we offer monthly and bi-monthly pest control services in the North Texas area to keep beetles off your property for good. Contact us or give us a call today and we can set up a plan for you.