Ground Beetles: Should They Stay Or Should They Go?

It's the beetle invasion! Squeeeee! Wait. Hold on. Which beetles are we talking about? Oh. Not the beatles from Liverpool? Well, we'll still try to make this article exciting.

Actually, beetles are very exciting. Do you know that there are over 30,000 species of beetles in the United States? There are beetles that fly, beetles that glow, and even beetles that shoot fire out of their hiney. It's true! You can't make this stuff up, folks.

Ground beetles, which come in a wonderful variety of shapes and colors, are great to have around your home. But when I say, "around your home", I mean, "around the outside of your home". If you have a garden, flowers, or even a lawn, ground beetles can help you get rid of damaging insects. That is why they are generally considered beneficial. But, when the water table rises, or if food has been too abundant throughout the summer, you may find them entering your home in large quantities. This can be quite a problem. Not only are they unsightly, they emit a defensive odor, that can be quite unpleasant if many dead beetles accumulate. This emission also causes a burning sensation on human skin, so it is best not to handle them.

If you would prefer to live without beetles crunching under your feet, landing in your food, smelling up your living room, and crawling on your curtains, here are a few things you can do to get them outside.

• Sweep them onto a dustpan, and put them back outside.

• Reduce the places in your yard that beetles can hide, especially if they are near the house. Things like: leaf piles, wood piles, rotted logs, stacked stone, rocks with moist pockets under them, and anything that lays on your grass.

• Check all your door and window screens for damage.

• Use a caulking gun to seal up any holes or cracks around the base of your home.

• Replace white exterior lights with yellow lights, or remove them all together. Beetles are attracted to light.

• Keep your curtains closed at night. Bright windows will draw them in.

• Having colored walls is better than white glossy walls.

These tips will go along way to keeping those beetles out. But to be sure you're 100% protected, it is important to get your perimeter sprayed by a professional. All-American has 50 years of experience sealing homes from a variety of bugs and wildlife. It's easy, and safe. You don't have to live with ground beetles in your home. Keep them outside, where they can do some good.