Oh no! You’ve just discovered ground beetles in your Bettendorf home – but how do you get rid of them? For Bettendorf homeowners, here’s what you need to know about identifying ground beetles, how harmful these pests can be, why they’re in your home, and how to get rid of them.
What Does A Ground Beetle Do?
While the shape and color can vary among beetles, most ground beetles are black with flat, elongated bodies. They can grow up to an inch long and have visible wings, these pests cannot fly.
They do have long, thin legs that allow them to move quickly across the ground. They prefer to hide during the day and will hunt their insect prey at night.
Are Ground Beetles Harmful?
The good news is that ground beetles aren’t dangerous. Unlike some pests, they’re not known to spread harmful diseases, bacteria, or contaminate your food with pathogens. Ground beetles also don’t sting or bite, although some species can spray a defensive liquid that might irritate your skin – but shouldn’t require medical attention or be cause for concern.
Still, that doesn’t mean ground beetles are entirely harmless. If they’re inside your home, ground beetles can be a nuisance, even if they’re not capable of causing structural damage like some pests. However, they can still take over your house. If the infestation grows large enough, you may start to find ground beetles in storage areas, basements, and even crawling across your carpet.
Why Are Ground Beetles In My House?
Most ground beetles start out living on your property – if you walk outside, you might find them hiding near gardens, under logs, leaves, or rocks.
Ground beetles will usually become attracted to your home through light. If you’ve got bright outdoor lights or even lights that are bright enough to be seen outside, you may lure ground beetles inside.
From there, beetles will use tiny cracks and crevices in your foundation, gaps under doors, or even tears in window screens, to crawl inside. Despite being attracted to light, most ground beetles prefer homes that have two things: plenty of dark hiding spots and an abundant food source.
If your home has dimly lit hiding spots, like cluttered storage areas or basements, these are often where ground beetles will hide out.
How Do You Kill Ground Beetles?
Taking care of one or two ground beetles on your own may not be a problem, but if you’ve got an infestation around your Bettendorf home or property, you may need to explore other options. These pests are stubborn, and if your home has enough hiding spots and plenty of insect prey, they’re not going to want to leave.
Fortunately, there is a way to rid your home of ground beetles safely and effectively: Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators. For more than 85 years, we’ve been dealing with troublesome pests like ground beetles that may plague Bettendorf homes, and we know just how to deal with them.
If you’ve been noticing too many ground beetles around your home, there’s no reason to continue to let these bugs infest your house. Contact us at Quik-Kill Pest Eliminators today for more information about our beetle control services.