| Appearance |
Dark
brown with yellow spotted bands across the front of their wings; 1/4- to
1/2-inch . |
| Habitat |
|
Larder beetles may be found inside
walls, attics,
crawlspaces and basements, feeding on dead insects or a rodent or bird
carcass.
They also feed on foods with protein or oils and are common pests
wherever
animal protein is processed or stored. Adult larder beetles often
overwinter
outside in tree bark crevices. In summer they may enter buildings
seeking a
food source on which to deposit eggs. Their scientific name means "to devour
a
skin"- these beetles are sometimes used by museums to clean flesh
and
hides off
animal skeletons. |
| Diet |
| Ham, bacon, meats, cheese, stored tobacco, dried fish and dried pet food
as well as hides, skin, bones and dead insects. |
| Control |
|
As with any
stored product pest, control involves many
steps, beginning with locating the infested food items or other sources
of
infestation (e.g., dead insects or animal inside a wall or other
space). Larder
beetles are attracted to moist protein sources. A professional can help
find
difficult infestation sources. Once discovered, the source will need to
be
removed and treatment applied into the space to kill the beetles and
larvae
feeding on the source. |
|