Are you frustrated with an ever-increasing population of larder beetles in your home? Like most other kinds of beetles, even larder beetles are known for multiplying quickly, leading to an uncontrolled infestation around your home or backyard.
However, given the commonness of these beetles, it isn’t surprising that people often confuse larder beetles with other kinds of beetles too. Before you go ahead and try to eliminate them from around your home, you’d need to first identify and confirm their presence before implementing them.
This article will explore everything you need to know about how to get rid of larder beetles and ways to get rid of them from your home.
Table of Contents
What is Larder Beetles?
Larder beetles are a lot similar to the other types of beetles you witness around. These are common pests that often make their way into your homes and hide around inside stored food items and pet food.
Their presence is also common in furs and other kinds of animal products you find around the house.
If you are wondering where they are most frequent, Larder beetles and their infestation peak during the period between early winter and early spring months.
Coming to their appearance, larder beetles are generally oval in shape and range between ½ to 1/3rd of an inch. Their body color is generally brown, with small yellow hair all over them.
Also read: How to Get Rid of Biscuit Beetles
What do the Larder Beetles Feed On?
Besides looking for a safe and warm space to lay their eggs, Larder beetles also make their way into people’s homes to look for food sources.
When it comes to the kind of food they primarily feed on, larder beetles generally rely on foods that contain animal fats and by-products. So, foods like ham, bacon, processed meats, etc., are some of the items that the larder beetles feed on.
Besides that, some of the other categories of food that they feed on include:
- Cheese
- Cake
- Insects
- Hair
- Fur
- Dead skin
- Fabrics
- Natural materials
One fact about Larder beetles that might surprise you is that they have cannibalistic tendencies too. They do feed on their kind from time to time. They often feed on the larvae of larder beetles.
How do Larder Beetles get into People’s Homes?
Before we discuss the different ways that larder beetles gain access to your home, let us understand the peak time that invades people’s homes.
Generally, larder beetles enter people’s homes during the spring and fall seasons. While they enter people’s homes during the winter season to look for warmth, they choose the spring season to lay their eggs.
Now, the question of the hour is, “How do these pests gain entry to your house?”
In most cases, larder beetles gain access to the inside of the homes through cracks and crevices in the walls and torn windows.
If you have space around the doors and windows of your home, that’s another entry point. Besides coming in through these spots, you might unknowingly bring these pests inside your home with your grocery bags, contaminated foods, and cardboard boxes.
For individuals noticing larder beetle infestation inside their homes, the best way to look for them is near different kinds of food sources. If you notice dead skin and shells lying around your kitchen or pantry, that’s a giveaway sign that you have an infestation at home.
Besides these spots, we’d recommend that you check the attic as well. That’s another familiar spot that they frequent. If you have dead mice or other insects in your attic, that’s another reason the larder beetles are crawling into those spaces.
Are Larder Beetles Harmful?
Now that you have a clear understanding of larder beetles and their mode of infestation let us discuss the degree of damage they inflict.
Are they harmful? Larder beetles aren’t biters, which is a relief. However, they leave the surroundings unsanitary, leading to risks of damage to the places they frequent, especially the kitchen.
Also, larder beetles have a habit of burrowing into solid materials around the house. This happens during their pupal stage. So, if you have solid wood and stored foods around the house, those are some areas you must pay close attention to.
Since these beetles have a risk of spreading infections and germs, eliminating their infestation is crucial if you want to keep your health in check.
What are the signs of Larder Beetles Infestation?
So, you spotted one or two larder beetles around the house. Does that confirm that you have an infestation? Surprisingly, the answer is no.
Before you get ready to eliminate the unwanted larder beetle infestation, you have to confirm whether or not you even have an infestation.
The most important thing you need to do is confirm the infestation around the most frequented spots in the house, including the kitchen or the pantry area.
One of the most common signs that you have a larder beetle infestation around the house is to look for their dead skin and scales. Also, their fecal pellets and hairy skin around the house is a sign of infestation.
Ways to Get Rid of Larder Beetles
1. Vacuum
Since larder beetles are attracted to food sources, vacuuming your house’s floors and kitchen shelves is the best way to keep their population from multiplying.
The best thing you can do is vacuum all the floors consistently to get rid of all the food sources you come across. Also, the vacuum will clear out the potential larvae of the larder beetles, killing them in the process.
2. Use Airtight Containers
If your food has been contaminated with larder beetles, immediately transfer them to sealed bags. Once done, you’d have to throw them out in the trash so they don’t make their way back into the house.
Not just human food, larder beetles also tend to infiltrate pet food, so that’s another thing you have to get out of the way.
3. Eliminate Grease
If you do not clean your kitchen counters and the hobs, that’s another reason you have a larder beetle infestation.
The best thing you can do in that case is wipe down the kitchen hob with some anti-grease cleaner. Do this a few times throughout the day.
4. Seal Entry Points
Since larder beetles make their way into the house through cracks and crevices, it isn’t surprising that you need to find these entry points and seal them.
Look for cracks in the walls or open spaces around the doors and windows as well. Once you get that sorted, you should be good to go. Also, if the windows screens in your house are broken, fix those too.
5. Remove Insects & Food Sources
Larder beetles feed on insects, which means that if you find one in your home, you need to clear those out of the way immediately.
Leaving potential food sources is the last thing you want to do. So, look around the house, especially the areas with a maximum infestation, and deep clean the areas to keep insects, rodents, and other food sources out.
6. Contact Professionals
If none of the natural remedies are working out in your favor, the last resort is to rely on pest control facilities.
With pest control, you can sort things out without any manual labor. They will scope your house, look for signs of infestation and implement effective measures to eliminate the larder beetles and their infestation.
If you are struggling with larder beetle infestation in your home, these are some tips you can follow. There’s no reason why you still have to wonder how to get rid of larder beetles. The only thing we’d recommend keeping an eye out for is using organic and DIY methods to eliminate them from your home for good.
Also read: How to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles from Home
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best larder beetle killer?
If you have larder beetle infestation around the house, the best way to eliminate them is by exposing them to extreme temperatures, be it extreme heat or extreme cold.
Does baking soda kill larder beetles?
Pouring slightly diluted baking soda solution directly on the larder beetles and their colony is effective in getting rid of them immediately.
Does steam kill larder beetles?
Using the steam feature in your vacuum cleaner can effectively kill larder beetles and even prevent them from returning.
Do beetles hate vinegar?
The acidic nature of vinegar is effective in killing larder beetles immediately. So, pouring a mixture of vinegar and baking soda effectively kills these beetles.
Does dish soap kill larder beetles?
Make a solution with dish soap, water, and vinegar and place them in areas where the larder beetles frequently the most. They will crawl into the solution and die immediately.
What do beetles hate most?
Beetles aren’t a big fan of strong smells, especially essential oils like peppermint, clove, rosemary, citronella, etc.
Does lemon juice repel beetles?
If you have a small infestation of larder beetles around the house, spraying a mix of lemon juice and baking soda can effectively eliminate them.
Will neem oil kill larder beetles?
The neem oil solution effectively kills the larvae of larder beetles, reducing their population significantly.
Do moth balls kill larder beetles?
While they might not kill the larder beetles, moth balls can effectively prevent them from further infestation around the house. So, sprinkle them around the house, especially in areas where the beetles infest the most.
What is the natural enemy of the beetle?
Larder beetles aren’t big fans of clean and open spaces. They also don’t stand the strong and pungent odor, especially that of essential oils. So, sprinkling those can effectively eliminate their infestation for good.
