Recently, our office received a distress call from someone who was experiencing nighttime bites and severe skin rashes. We promptly sent one of our technicians to investigate and resolve the pest issue.
Initially, it appeared to be a typical bed bug case due to the client's recent travels, nocturnal bites, blood stains on the sheets, and the presence of a rash.
Signs Of A Typical Bed Bug Case
However, upon further inspection, our technician was unable to find any sightings of bed bugs or their eggs. Instead, he discovered numerous orange and black caterpillar-like creatures throughout the house. As Larder Beetle do not bite or spread disease, having skin rashes from these insects is not typical, so our technician wanted to be sure of his findings and consulted with our team. The verdict was an infestation of Larder Beetles, with the fine hairs on the Larder Beetle larvae causing skin irritations.
Pest Control The Larder Beetle
To treat the Larder Beetle infestation, our technician conducted a comprehensive pest control service, which included treating all cracks and crevices. A week later, we followed up and observed a significant reduction in the number of larvae. The client reported no more rashes. Throughout the inspection, our technician did not find any adult Larder beetles. The conclusion was that the infestation was in its early stages, and continued monitoring would be required for the next few months.
More About Larder Beetles Larder Beetles, also known as Demestes Ladarius, are common pests worldwide. They primarily feed on animal products such as decaying flesh, cured meats, pet food, skins, leathers, hides, feathers, cheese, solid cooking fats (butter), and high-protein grains.
The life cycle of a Larder Beetle consists of three stages: eggs, larvae, and adult beetles. A female beetle can lay over 100 eggs in her lifetime and typically dies shortly after. After around 12 days, the eggs hatch, and orange or brown caterpillar-like larvae emerge and feed on spoiled or rotten meat and other animal products. The larvae continue to feed until their final molt, after which they burrow into their surroundings to pupate for 3-7 days before emerging as adult beetles, ready to start the cycle anew.
The complete generation of Larder Beetles usually takes around 40-50 days, depending on environmental and climatic conditions.
Summary of the Larder Beetle
Larder beetles primarily feed on decaying animal products and can lay over 100 eggs
Life cycle consists of egg, larva and adult stages over 40-50 days depending on conditions
Fine hairs on larder beetle larvae caused skin irritation, explaining the rashes
Larder Beetles are known to infest a variety of organic materials, particularly those with high protein content such as cheese, dried meats, animal skins
One of the significant signs of a Larder Beetle infestation is the presence of damaged items and the accumulation of their dark, hairy larvae.
Results Home Services - For All Your Pest Control Problems
For professional pest control services, contact Results Home Services at 3823 2500. We proudly serve all of Brisbane, including the north and south side suburbs.