How To Get Rid of Beetles
We get this question often. Why do I have swarms and swarms of black beetles crawling all over my house? It usually happens around spring and fall, and the beetles can come in plague-like numbers, covering up your home’s siding and windows and doors. Worst of all, they start finding their way inside. So what are they?
Box Elder Beetles. They have other names as well, like stink bugs, leaf bugs, etc., but most commonly, they are just called Box Elder Beetles. During the spring and fall, they are looking for a place to land and get some sun. Usually, this is going to be the south side of your home, and they are mostly drawn toward lighter color houses. All they do all day is get some sun and reproduce.
Some houses that have never had Box Elder Beetles before can suddenly find their home infested with them, seemingly overnight. Populations of this pest live and breed in trees around your home. They look for tight places like inside bark on a tree and lay their eggs. When the time is right, they start looking for homes to land on and get some sun. If left untreated, populations of the beetles can quickly get out of hand.
Although these pests are not a wood-destroying pest, they can certainly be a significant nuisance. They are unsightly, can get inside, and can even be aggressive at times.
So, how do you get rid of Box Elder Beetles?
There are a few ways you can go. Many of our customers have reported great success eliminating them by pressure washing their home with Dawn soap. This works pretty well and can provide a good deterrent, where the beetles may move on to your neighbor’s house instead of yours. Ultimately, the best way to drop the current population (and also future population) is to have a pest control company treat your home. At New Leaf Pest Control, we use a variety of products that can safely and effectively exterminate Box Elder Beetles.
So whether you are wanting to give it a go yourself or wanting to hire a professional, if you have any questions on Box Elder Beetle treatments, please give us a call.