How to prevent and get rid of biscuit beetles.
Most people don't think to check their dried food for pests because it's not where you'd expect to find a problem.Your store-cupboards can become a breeding ground for pests such as biscuit beetles, which can cause health risks, as well as being a huge hassle.Everything you need to know about biscuit beetles will be covered in this guide.
Biscuit beetles are small, hard-shelled, reddish-brown beetles with an oval-shaped body which is humped and covered in short yellowish hairs.They are white, crescent-shaped and grub-like.The Common Furniture Beetle is often mistaken for a biscuit beetle due to their physical similarities.To make sure the pest is correctly identified, it is advisable to get an expert in.
These tiny beetles are mostly attracted to areas where dried food is kept.They focus on flour, pasta, grains, and biscuits.The scientific name for biscuit beetles is stegobium paniceum, but due to their eating habits, they are known as bread beetles or drugstore beetles.
The pests prefer warm climates and thrive in dark, warm places around their food source, for example, in the back of your cupboard on some old, rarely-used food.
The female will lay her eggs in a food source.The eggs will be in the larvae stage for 4-5 months after hatching.During this time, they feed from the food source and can easily spread, moving from one product to another.
The adult is formed after about 18 days in the pupa stage.This part of the life cycle is not very long.Adult biscuit beetles will lay more eggs when they wander for 3-4 weeks.Biscuit beetles lay their eggs on another food source, but they may wander quite a distance from the original site.They are attracted to light in other areas of the room such as work surfaces or window frames.biscuit beetles will have around 4 broods per year if the conditions are good.
If you notice brown beetles in your house, you should act quickly.The treatment process is similar to other stored-food pests.Taking care to go over all the cracks, corners and crevices, the area should be sealed and binned.It's a good idea to remove and dispose of any contaminated food sources.
You should call in the help of a professional who can properly fumigate and treat the area, as doing it yourself is often not effective.An official pest control company will be able to clear the area and make sure there are no signs of pests left over.The infested areas may be treated with an appropriate insecticidal agent.They can help you with preventative measures to make sure it doesn't happen again.
Keeping less bulk food products in the home is one way of preventing biscuit beetles from being attracted to the food source.You can try and cut down by only buying what you need and keeping track of food so it doesn't get left open and forgotten about.The food you do have should be kept in tightly sealed containers, or at least make sure the opening is closed with a food storage clip to keep it fresh.
You should store your food in a dry area to make sure you don't create an ideal environment for pests.To keep your kitchen at an agreeable temperature, you need to make sure that it is not stored near any heaters.
Make sure your food storage areas are always clean and tidy.Hard-to-reach areas such as drawers around the stove, behind the fridge, and little nooks and crannies where you wouldn't usually think to clean are included.
No, biscuit beetles are not harmful to health, so it is recommended to have a thorough deep clean of the areas where they are found and dispose of any contaminated food.
They are just found where there is a food source that has attracted them.
They like warmer regions and can be found in warm areas such as shops or food cupboards.They are attracted to a variety of food sources from pet food to leather, but most commonly dry stored food such as grains.
Adult biscuit beetles have a short life span of a few weeks, but they can fly.
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