During the hot summer months, insects are everywhere. Whether they’re circling the fruit bowl, crawling over your picnic or buzzing around your ear, they’re a complete nuisance. At least during the winter you get to enjoy a bit of a break from them but beware, just because you can’t see these pesky creatures, it doesn’t mean that they’re not lurking nearby.
Insects have a very clever way of adapting to the winter months – they enter diapause. In this stage their metabolic rate drops to one-tenth of its usual actual activity which allows them to live off their existing body fat until it starts warming up and they can access food once again.
While this does mean that you’re highly unlikely to see any beetles crawling around at this time of year, it doesn’t mean that they’re not already in or near your property.
Where in my home do beetles like to hide?
Because they won’t be anywhere near as alert as they would be if they were fully awake, beetles will naturally try to find somewhere quiet and undisturbed to bunker down for winter.
You could find them anywhere from a spare room or wardrobe that doesn’t get used very often to airing cupboards or under the bed. Other common places include attics, basements, sheds, cabinets, crawl spaces in walls or in furniture that isn’t used or moved around very often.
Beetles can be very creative with their hiding places so also ensure you check central heating lagging, hot water pipe runs and even nested inside items of clothing.
Depending on the species and circumstance, some beetles will stick to the areas of your home that resemble their natural habitat. Many beetles feed on plant fibre and nectar, so if you have floral arrangements, it’s not uncommon for them to live in and around them.
One thing you can be sure of for almost all beetles is that the one thing that’s guaranteed to lure them in is a food source. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you’re going to find them in the cookie jar. You’re most likely to find them in and around rugs, furs, clothing, leather, upholstered furniture, animal hides, carpeting, cracks, crevices, baseboards, seat cushions and food storage areas. They also like human and animal hair as well as dead insects and lint, so anywhere this matter collects is vulnerable to a beetle infestation.
If you’re prone to beetle infestations, it’s worth having a thorough look in your garden to see if there are any signs of them there. You may think that as long as they’re outside and it’s winter that they’re harmless, but once they spring into life and start breeding, the problem can very quickly spread to the inside of your home.
You can often find beetles living under stones, in and around old logs, beneath leaves, around mushrooms and compost, in rubbish bins or in areas of foliage and debris. Adults of many species burrow into the soil to lay their eggs, so you can also find beetle larvae and grubs living just a few inches below the surface of the dirt.
If you have a problem with a beetle infestation and would like to speak to a pest controller in your area, or for more information about any other pests, please feel free to contact Prokill and we will be more than happy to help. Our accredited experts will be happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote. What’s more, because we have a team of local experts, you can rest assured that there won’t be any long waiting times to get an appointment. Complete an online enquiry form or call us on 0800 328 9354.
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