Photo Album: Beetles invade Milltown property

Ground beetle in Milltown, NJ

Ground beetles are a large family of beetles with more than 2000 species in North America. Most are black, have a flat and elongated body shape, and have wings, although they are unable to fly. They are frequently found in dirt living on ground surfaces. Our industry classifies these pests as occasional invaders of homes and buildings because they generally don't breed inside structures. If you happen to see a ground beetle inside your home, it most likely gained access through some entryway or crack allowing them access. As a pest control technician, I'll sometimes find these beetles on glue monitors that I set up for my commercial accounts to monitor pest activity between visits. To control these pests, it is usually sufficient to do an exterior treatment around the perimeter of the home that includes spraying along the foundation for any crawling bugs as well as a granular application to eliminate the beetle grubs in the ground. To prevent these bugs from entering the home, homeowners should reduce their harborage areas wherever possible. These bugs prefer to live and lay eggs in hidden places that hold moisture, especially under leaves and other ground debris, old logs, and stones. It is also important to seal potential access points into the home, especially entryways in order to keep out insects, especially those that seek to overwinter in our homes.