It is estimated that there are around 400,000 species of Beetle but only a handful are responsible for the problems commonly encountered in the Pest Control industry here in the United Kingdom.

We have listed some of the most common species of Beetle we are asked to deal with; Australian & Golden Spider Beetles, Tobacco & Biscuit Beetles, Plaster Beetle, Larder Beetle, Rust Red & Confused Flour Beetles, Lesser Mealworm Beetle, Yellow Mealworm Beetle and the Saw Toothed Grain Beetle.

Below is a general Description and Biology of the Beetle. For site specific details and insect identification please Contact Us on 0800 055 6966 at your earliest opportunity to arrange for one of Experienced Technicians to visit.

The general anatomy of a Beetle is quite uniform, although specific organs and appendages may vary greatly in appearance and function between the many families in the order. Like all insects, Beetles’ bodies are divided into three sections: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. When viewed from below, the thorax is that part from which all three pairs of legs and both pairs of wings arise. The abdomen is everything posterior to the thorax. When viewed from above, most beetles appear to have three clear sections, but this is deceptive: on the Beetle’s upper surface, the middle “section” is a hard plate called the pronotum, which is only the front part of the thorax; the back part of the thorax is concealed by the Beetle’s wings.

A single female can lay from several dozen, to several thousand eggs during her lifetime. Eggs are usually laid according to the substrate the larva will feed on upon hatching. Among others, they can be laid loose in the substrate (e.g. Flour Beetle), laid in clumps on leaves (e.g. Colorado Potato Beetle), or individually attached (e.g. Mungbean Beetle and other Seed Borers) or buried in the medium (e.g. Carrot Weevil). Beetle larvae can be differentiated from other insect larvae by their hardened, often darkened head, the presence of chewing mouthparts and spiracles along the sides of the body.Insecticidal treatments alone may not provide a solution against this pest. For long term solutions Protectahome suggest a visit from one of our trained pest control Technicians to ensure deployment of the most appropriate treatment/control strategy.

For more information on Pest Control by Protectahome and associated services we provide, please see our Case Studies or to speak to our Pest Control Department please Contact Us on 0800 055 6966 or alternatively email us via pestcontrol@protectahome.co.uk