![]() There are several possibilities as to what they might be feeding on up there. I have included a link below to a fact sheet on larder beetles, or you can search the web for larder beetles to find more information.įrom what you described, my guess is that these beetles are indeed most likely coming from the attic space above the bedroom. And unfortunately, as long as the overwintering insects keep coming back, then so might the larder beetles. If you are seeing lots of larder beetles, then obviously there is still a major source of food for them somewhere that needs to be eliminated or treated. If you are only seeing a few beetles, then it may be best to simply vacuum them up when you see them and not be overly concerned. But, if these accumulations of dead insects are in wall or ceiling spaces with no access, there may be little you can do unless you hire an exterminator to treat the inside of those spaces. If you can access where any dead insects may have accumulated and clean them up (vacuum, sweeping), that should take care of the problem. If you are finding them scattered through the house, it will be more difficult to determine where they are coming from. If you keep finding the beetles on the same area of the floor, they might be coming from an overhead ceiling fixture, a light with dead insect accumulations, or crawling down through the fixture opening from an attic or ceiling space above. ![]() So, if you have ruled out pantry items, dried dog food, furs, feathers, wool, and similar items as possible sources of infestation, then I would suggest seeing if dead insect accumulations are a possibility, especially if you have had infestations of these overwintering insects in the past. As they reach the adult stage, they will disperse and often find their way into the interior of homes. The larder beetles can find their way into these spaces and feed on these accumulations of dead insects and build up large populations. Most of them will leave the following spring, but often many of them die in these spaces. Cluster flies, boxelder bugs, Asian lady beetles, and most recently brown marmorated stink bugs are all insects that may enter into the wall spaces or attics of home in the fall to spend the winter. However, one of the most common sources of home infestation by this species is on masses of dead insects that have overwintered and died in wall spaces and attics, but even accumulations of dead insects on window sills and in light fixtures can be fed upon. They can still occasionally be found in the home feeding on other animal products, including dried dog food, furs, feathers, leather, and wool. ![]() While they historically are most commonly associated as a pantry pest feeding on foodstuffs made of animal matter, mostly cured meats, fish or cheese, their importance as a pantry pest has diminished through time with refrigeration and better packaging. These beetles feed all kinds of dead animal matter. The beetle in your photo is indeed the larder beetle, Dermestes lardarius (family: Dermestidae).
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