How to Get Rid of Larder Beetles

Have you ever opened your pantry, only to find that there are beetles enjoying the ingredients you were about to use? You’ve likely had a larder beetle infestation in Alaska, which is annoying, inconvenient and unpleasant to clean up.

If you think you have larder beetles in your home, don’t delay in taking action. They eat just about anything (even other insects) and can spread rapidly. Here are the Alaska larder beetle facts you need to know.

What are larder beetles?

Larder beetles are named for where they’re most often found: in your cupboard or pantry. They’re about a quarter to a third of an inch long, with an oval-shaped body. Their bodies have a brown band around the center, which makes them easy to identify. You might also see larder beetle larvae, which are a half-inch long and look more like a sow bug with brown and black bands on the body.

Larder beetles really do eat anything: dry cereal and grains, pasta, dried meat, pet food, bread, cookies, carpet fibers, the carcasses of other insects and more. If you’ve had a previous pest infestation, they will gladly eat the dead bugs left behind.

In the winter, larder beetles tend to hide in dark cracks and crevices. They emerge in the spring to lay eggs, and a single female can lay up to 100 eggs at a time. That means they’ll spread rapidly and take over your home if you leave the problem unaddressed.

Are larder beetles dangerous?

Larder beetles aren’t dangerous, but they are destructive. They’ll happily chew through drywall and wood to get to a food source, and can even get through tin and lead—that means not even your canned food is safe. What’s worse is that they’ll lay eggs in your can of tuna or green beans, so make sure you check your cans before you open them.
Look for holes in your boxes, cans and bags of pet food. You might also see spilled food and molting, or larvae in foods like potatoes and onions.

How do I get rid of them?

If you have larder beetles, you’ll need to go through your entire pantry and throw out everything opened and/or infested. Store food and pet food in tightly-sealed glass and hard plastic containers.
Next, wipe down your shelves with vinegar or bleach. Vacuum up any molting and mess left behind. Look for gaps around your walls, doors and other potential entry points (such as behind your appliances), and seal those.

Finally, call a pest control company. If you have a minor infestation on your hands, these steps might help you take care of the problem—but since winter is here, you might have a host of larder beetles lurking in your home that won’t be obvious until the springtime. Don’t risk any nasty surprises when the warm weather rolls around.
For help with your Alaska larder beetle infestation, get in touch with the team at Pied Piper Pest Control today. We look forward to helping you!

Categorised in: Insect Control

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