Incinerator Beetle species are common throughout the world. In fact, incinerator beetles play an important role when it comes to recycling. Incinerator beetles feed on most any dead animal. This includes animal hair and flesh. But this ferocious appetite can many times cause incinerator beetles to forage into homes and other buildings where their feeding will become a problem.
INCINERATOR BEETLE BIOLOGY ^
Incinerator beetles are small and dark. Adults will be in the 5-10 mm range and range from dark brown to black in color. They are strong flyers and are attracted to decaying flesh and rotting meat. Incinerator beetles will regularly penetrate and nest in stored products like pet food or cheese. They love hanging meat like hams and sausage. And though adult incinerator beetles are attracted to such food, they don’t eat nearly as much as their offspring.
Adult incinerator beetle females will seek a good food supply on which to lay eggs. If conditions are right, these eggs will hatch in as little as 2 days. Larva should be able to find food close by (since females typically lay eggs close to food) and will eat continuously till they are ready to pupate and become adults.
Larvae are ferocious eaters and can chew though most anything. This feeding may go on for 1-8 months depending on local temperatures, humidity and food quality. Once they get their full, larvae will move off the food and find a safe location on which to pupate. This could be in a slight crack or crevice, behind some type of siding or on a tree.
Larvae can chew into wood and have been known to cause lots of damage to structural members of homes and buildings during their trek to find safe harborage. Incinerator beetle pupa will take a week or two to fully develop before emerging as adults. This process could be delayed if it’s cold or other weather factors slow the process. When done, they will emerge as an energetic, light avoiding adult.
Adults will mostly fly in darkness searching for fertile ground on which to continue their cycle. Males will be chasing females, which can start egg laying in as little as a week, and females are always seeking good food supplies on which to lay eggs. Female incinerator beetles will lay hundreds – in some cases thousands – of eggs. If she planned accordingly, her young should have plenty to eat when they hatch.
INCINERATOR BEETLE PROBLEMS ^
Incinerator beetles are important to the natural cycle of animals. By consuming both flesh and carcass, incinerator beetles enable dead animals to filter back to the earth. But this process can prove costly and expensive if they target something we’re trying to preserve.
Incinerator beetles will be a nuisance when they find their way into homes and other buildings. Barns, poultry houses, sheds, dog kennels and other areas where animals are kept seem to naturally attract incinerator beetles. Though they prefer decomposing meat on which to feed, incinerator beetles will take full advantage of animal skins, leather, rugs, mattresses and clothing when food supplies are limited. They can live on hats, fabric and just about anything which uses animal parts such as hair or skin.
Incinerator beetles can be a hunters worse enemy since they love any animal that’s been mounted and displayed on the wall. For this reason they will target museums, taxidermists and butchers too. Cattle farms are another favorite location for them to nest as are zoos and animal shelters.
Incinerator beetles have been known to nest on living animals. Sickly dogs and other disease ridden wildlife can all become a target of this pest. Their small size and light body weight can make them difficult to notice. If left alone, they can cause huge amounts of damage and in extreme cases loss of life.
INCINERATOR BEETLE TRAPS ^
Treatment for incinerator beetles is easy once you know where to treat. If you find something damaged, it’s important to inspect the entire room as well as other parts of the home to try and assess the extent of the infestation.
Treatment options will depend on just how extensive the problem might be. With incinerator beetles, it’s always better to treat more then what they’re eating. A good way to find out how bad the infestation might is to set out INCINERATOR BEETLE TRAPS.
Set them out in rooms where activity is seen along with the surrounding rooms to make sure you aren’t missing any area. Treat rooms where traps catch something. And don’t just spray baseboards.
For example, if you have a small place rug or animal skin which has activity, it’s best to assume larva has migrated to other parts of the home. If you only treat the rug, you could allow these other stages to continue the cycle and target non-treated areas.
AEROSOL SPRAY FOR INCINERATOR BEETLES ^
Treatment strategies should be based on the area or areas with incinerator beetle sign or activity. Small sheds won’t need a lot of product and can be adequately treated with BEDLAM PLUS. Commonly used for carpet beetles, this aerosol is easy to apply and gentle on most any surface. It contains an adulticide and a growth regulator so it will control all stages.
Bedlam is practically odorless and goes on “dry”. This makes it an excellent choice for animal skins, fur, carpets, furniture, animal mounts and just about any surface which is otherwise hard to spray with a water mixed concentrate. Initially, use this product once every 2 weeks and then monthly to assure incinerator beetles won’t return.
One can will cover up to 1500 sq/ft and can be used as needed until the problem is under control.
BEST INCINERATOR BEETLE SPRAY ^
For large areas, it will prove more efficient to use DFENSE SC. This odorless concentrate mixes with water and is better suited for treating 2500 sq/ft or more because it will do a better job, save time and cost a lot less.
Dfense will quickly kill adults and feeding larvae. Use .35 to .75 oz per gallon of water per 1,000 sq/ft of surface area. Expect to use 2-3 gallons to treat the average home and spray at least once a month when beetles are seen. Once they’re gone, treating every 3 months will keep them away.
For added protection, add the growth regulator known as NYLAR. This protein based concentrate won’t affect adults and effectively won’t kill anything. But it will “over expose” developing larvae to their natural growth hormone which in turn causes them to mutate and fail to grow into reproducing adults. The big help Nylar provides is that it will translocate to walls, ceilings and pretty much everywhere in the home. The amount is minuscule and poses no hazard to people. But its devastating to incinerator beetles and will have a profound impact.
Lastly, be sure to use a good PUMP SPRAYER when making the application. Our sprayer will provide a nice uniform even fan which is paramount for achieving success.
INCINERATOR BEETLE CONTROL TAKES TIME ^
Incinerator beetle control can be done once you know where to treat and get the right products applied. Remember, they are excellent flyers and will many times find different areas of the home to occupy. Animal mounts, horse hair mattresses and just about any natural fabric or material in the home can be targeted by this ferocious insect. Bedlam might be easy to use and handy for small areas but it may not be the most economical option. Get Dfense for larger problems and add Nylar for long term protection. Install traps to get a better idea of just how bad the problem might be and be sure to change them as needed. Once established, incinerator beetles might take some time to get under control but it can be done.
CONTACT US ^
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