Shiny spider beetles can be pests in homes, warehouses, hotels, granaries, bakeries and latrines. They are relatively harmless Smooth Spider Beetles, Gibbium aequinoctiale, which according to BugGuide, is found “Mainly in houses, flour mills, occasionally in warehouses, hospitals, and stores”. Where deer mice may be present in a building, the mouse feces have been known to harbor infectious strains of hantavirus.
They will feed on a variety of products like cereals, wheat, bran, stored seeds, dog biscuits, decaying animal and vegetable refuse and cayenne pepper. should also be discarded.Clean up and remove infested accumulations of animal feces using accepted safety precautions. Once in the cocoon, the insect may pupate immediately or go into an extended diapause, which lasts as long as eight months. Smooth spider beetles, on the other hand, have the same dark color all over their body, which makes them look like a mite at times. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies to analyze website traffic and improve your experience on our website. Areas where rodent, bird or bat feces may have accumulated within a structure also need to be checked. The body of both of these beetles is either a shiny black or a dark reddish-brown. Spider beetles are actually quite common in North America, with an affinity for showing up in food preparation areas and homes in the northeast. Remove Food Sources; Prevention is the hardest part when it comes to pests, but with the right efforts, it is not impossible. Types of Spider Beetles American & Smooth Spider Beetle. The old beetles tend to lose this white coloration with age, however. BugGuide also indicates: “This species is a scavenger, feeding on a wide variety of dead plant and animal materials. Once they’ve reached adulthood, spider beetles will live up to a year.Spider beetles aren’t too selective when it comes to the environment that they choose. They’ll eat anything from wool to animal droppings, even hair and dried food products.Each of the species of these beetles have pretty much identical life cycles. Bird and bat feces are known sources of many pathogenic organisms including histoplasmosis and cyrptococcosis. Spider beetles are mainly scavengers on plant and animal substances and are usually seen in grains infested by some other stored product beetle. While you might see them around food, their actual nesting grounds might be within walls or up in an attic, making them hard to locate. For this reason, it’s commonly mistaken as a spider. Then there’s the practical aspect of having to find an exterminator who can get the job done fast enough that you won’t have to worry about things like food infestation and the like.One of the more pernicious pests to deal with out there is the spider beetle. Photo Credit: Katja Schulz. Spider beetles will be found in your cereals, dried fruits, grains, and spices. This little creature is deceptive, as it has long legs and a round body.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at what exactly spider beetles are as well as what you can do to get rid of them in your home. You can opt for placing your food in sealed plastic containers. So what do spider beetles look like? If these conditions do continue during the mating season, then up to two generations can be spawned during a single season.While spider beetles do look like bed bugs ande Both the smooth and American beetle are very similar in size and shape. Get rid of any old or spoiled food. Clean and sweep areas where food is handled. This will starve them, causing them to leave or die. Dealing with pests in your home can be daunting. There are approximately 70 genera and 600 species in the subfamily, with about 12 genera and 70 species in North America north of Mexico. Prevention of Spider Beetles . While this list isn’t exhaustive, it shoud give you a good idea as to how to do just that and be comfortable in your house knowing that you don’t have to worry about these pervasive pests. If beetles are in that food product then the infestation will be contained and not spread to other foods.Consume older food products prior to newer purchases of the same food. Larvae Diet. Products purchased in larger quantities (e.g., from a wholesale food warehouse) are more likely to become an infestation source if these are stored for long periods of time – especially if they are not stored in containers with tight-fitting lids. It takes up to a month for the eggs to hatch into larvae, and this stage can last anywhere between five and eight months before they reach pupation.This all lasts up to one month. Many species are flightless, either in females only or both sexes. It has become a pest by feeding on dry stored products. Unless you stay up late, there’s a good chance that you might not even be aware of an infestation. These beetles prefer the dark and are most active at night or continually in darkened areas. Another case of mistaken identity is when people take them for These beetles aren’t as common as others, but if you do have them then they’ll tend to congregate around places where you store food, such as your pantry or cupboards.It’s lucky that these beetles don’t actually bite humans.