How To Keep Your Elizabeth City Home Beetle Free

Proud to be called a “Coast Guard City,” Elizabeth City is the home base for the heroes who patrol the surrounding waters, including the famous Outer Banks. Elizabeth City also has some hometown heroes who protect homes and businesses from various pests in North Carolina, including the beetle. With so many varieties of beetles in Elizabeth City, property homeowners may need a special breed of hometown heroes to keep their homes beetle-free.

How To Identify Beetles In Elizabeth City

Beetles are the most significant order of insects in the world. They fall under the order Coleoptera (beetles and weevils). There are over 30,000 different kinds of known beetles in the United States, and the number keeps rising – so do beetle problems.

Four facts that help identify beetles are as follows:

1. They range in size from barely visible to the size of a human hand (tropical).
2. It is probably a beetle if they have a straight line running down its abdomen.
3. The “line” is where the two front wings (wing covers) come together. When a beetle flies (not all do), it will lift the wing covers and show the hind wings.
4. Beetles come equipped with “tough armor,” which is the part that is usually pretty colorful. Beetle means “biter.” They have chewing mouthparts which make some particularly destructive.

If I See One Beetle Around My Home, Does That Mean More Are There?

When you see one beetle in your house, there are sure to be more around (whether adults or larvae). Multiple varieties of destructive beetles access homes on things people bring into their homes (particularly bulk purchases); it is a perfect place for beetles to lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch, they feed on the dry goods, and then your beetle problems begin to increase.

What Are The Risks Of Beetles In My Elizabeth City Home?

Depending on the beetle (Elizabeth City has at least 13 different species), destruction inside Elizabeth City homes can vary. Beetles are so diverse – they eat just about any food, some are parasites, and some are scavengers. Many destructive beetles in your house fall into two categories.

Three risk factors that beetle on your Elizabeth City property bring are as follows:

1. Risk to materials: Certain beetles will feed on clothing, rugs, and upholstered furniture (black carpet beetles); others will feast on anything made of natural fibrous material like wool and fabrics (carpet beetles, varied carpet beetles).
2. Risk to stored goods: Many beetles infest dried/stored products such as flour, cereals, seeds, barley, rice, corn, and barely (cigarette beetles, confused flour beetles, drugstore beetles, grain weevils, and rice weevils). If you store tobacco products, cigarette beetles are especially prone to infesting these products.
3. Risk to wood: Another pest in your home that is said to be second only to the termite for wood damage is the powder post beetle. They can reduce wood to a powder that looks similar to flour. 

How Can I Keep Beetles Out Of My Elizabeth City House?

Solving beetle problems is difficult unless you are an expert or have a field guide handy. The best way to figure out what beetles are in your Elizabeth City home and whether or not they are a potential danger is by contacting the pests professionals at Albemarle Termite & Pest Control. With over 100+ combined years of experience, our pest professionals can battle any pest with confidence. Solving beetle problems with our year-round pest protection plans help keep your home pest-free. When pests invade your space, Albemarle Termite & Pest Control will work to address your individual needs with the highest quality of home pest control service available in our field. Reach out to Albemarle Termite & Pest Control today