This tiny intruder, which seems quite inconspicuous at first, can quickly turn into a real nuisance. Because as tiny as he is, his larvae are big sweet tooth that hardly stop at anything. For this reason, you should act as soon as possible as soon as you spot a specimen in your home. We explain to what extent the insects are harmful and how you can fight bread beetles to protect your food.
How does the insect get into the house in the first place?
The beetles can fly and actually live outdoors. However, in the evening hours, like many other insects, they are attracted to the light that shines from the house and thus enter your home through open windows. For this reason, you usually see the first bread beetles at the window, even before they have attacked the food. But the pest can also be introduced through infested products. And it’s not just bread that’s at risk, as the insect’s name suggests. Many other foods and even things that we cannot eat prove to be a real treat for the palate. Such are:
- Baked goods such as biscuits, rusks
- Leather book cover (hence her nickname “bookworm”)
- dried herbs and spices
- legumes
- pasta
- salt dough decoration
- Chocolate
- Tee
- dried flowers
- starchy foods (flour, grains)
So don’t be surprised if you find bread beetles in the bedroom or other rooms outside of the kitchen. The appetite of the beetle larvae is really big.
The bread beetle larvae are the real problem
The bugs have only one goal, which is to lay their eggs in food. The larvae that hatch from them are then fully supplied with food. At the same time, they build burrows in the middle of the food, for which they use a special secretion and webs. Later they build their own cocoons from feces and the food. And this cycle can last up to 220 days.
You don’t have to worry about getting sick from the insects. They do not transmit diseases and are not poisonous. Nevertheless, an infestation is extremely annoying because the affected food has to be disposed of.
How can you combat bread beetles and, above all, prevent them in the future?
Combat bread beetles with simple means
If you want to get rid of bread beetles, you can use various means. How effective which remedy is in the end depends primarily on the severity of the infestation. It is therefore worthwhile to carry out a small test first. Get a pheromone trap. This is sticky and attracts the beetles with attractants, which then stick. As long as the infestation is not severe, you can also take action against the beetles yourself and without a pest controller.
A notice: The bread beetle trap is not designed to eliminate the beetles, as it only catches the flying adult beetles, not the larvae that have made themselves comfortable in your food. It is only used to determine the severity of the infestation.
What are effective remedies against bread beetles?
A thorough cleaning
Cupboards, shelves and drawers that contain food must be cleaned thoroughly (vacuum and wipe with vinegar water). Check all products. Those that are affected are discarded. Put all the others either in the freezer for a day (at minus 18 degrees) or in the oven for an hour (at at least 60 degrees). This also applies to products that you believe do not appear to be infested.
Exceptions are those that you have kept in tightly closed screw-top jars, for example. Even the tiny beetles cannot penetrate into these.
Buy parasitic wasps and fight bread beetles
These insects come to the aid of various plagues. These feed on the bread beetle and then disappear from their home in search of new food. Ichneumon wasps against bread beetles are effective, easy to use and easily available in garden centres, hardware stores and pet shops, but also online.
Control and prevent bread beetles
So that you don’t even have to think about fighting bread beetles or hopefully never have to fight bread beetles again after an infestation, it’s worth taking preventive measures:
- Seal all food tightly. Screwable jars or cans are ideal. It is best to decant the food immediately after buying it.
- Before you buy, check the products. Especially those with paper packaging, such as flour, may have been damaged in transit, allowing bugs access. So take a close look at the packaging.
- You should check your supplies for an infestation at regular intervals and especially before using them.
- Protect the apartment. So that the beetles don’t get into the house in the first place, it’s worth investing in fly screens. So you can ventilate with peace of mind and enjoy the pleasant breeze in the warm summer without keeping the door open for pests.