Search Results for: Varied carpet beetle

Chlorophorus annularis

…ferred common name: bamboo tiger longhorn Chlorophorus annularis This is a beetle from south-east Asia, which feeds mainly on bamboo, and it may be a very serious pest where this is used for building houses. Bamboo stick from an importer’s furniture – with traces of bamboo longhorn larvae. Occasionally bamboo imported into Europe may contain the larvae. In dry bamboo the larval development takes several years so it may be a long time after the pur…

Small black or garden ant

…to gnaw their way into timber which has already been subject to damp and has been broken down by fungi and possibly by the attacks of beetle larvae. On this ant see also page 81….

Dermestid larvae

…DERMESTID LARVAE Dermestid larvae usually wander away from the material they have been living in when they are fully grown (p. 73) and then gnaw into some other material and pupate there. In buildings they often attack timber, and in stores of hides or dried fish which have been attacked by the larder beetle the woodwork may, in the course of time, become completely riddled with holes….

Nutmeg or coffee weevil

(Latin: Araeocerus fasciculatus) Coffee weevil aka. nutmeg weevil This beetle lacks the well-developed snout of the curculionid weevils. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions and is often brought to Europe in goods. It is now found quite commonly in Britain, mainly as a pest in cocoa beans, nutmegs and coffee beans. It has on occasions caused serious trouble to coffee exporters in south-east Asia. It requires warmth and a high humi…

Tanbark borer

…ae of the tanbark borer are very similar to the other species in the borer beetle family. They all have a yellowish-white color, just as their bodies are clearly articulated. In addition, all the larvae have quite small legs. The larva’s head sits at the thickest end of the body, where there are powerful brown cheekbones. Biology and behavior The tanbark borer female lays her eggs in deciduous trees. And she most often chooses beech trees for the…

Warehouse or cocoa moth

…e slightest gap the female moth, attracted by scent, will lay eggs• nearby and the newly hatched larvae will crawl in and start to feed. This moth can also eat tobacco. Remarkably enough it can tolerate nicotine and, together with the tobacco beetle, it is one of the most serious pests in the tobacco industry. When a cocoa moth is seen in a private house or the larvae are observed climbing up a wall it will almost always be because a packet of rai…

Animals in thatch

…but it also provides excellent insulation. As a result the house longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes) is unable to establish itself in the roof space below a thatched roof, which will not be warm enough for it during the summer. However, one of the disadvantages of thatch is that it may be attacked by a variety of animals. Cranefly Larvae Cranefly larvae may also appear in thatch (p. 105). They normally live in damp earth, and so it is only in old, damp,…

Where?

…oors: Head lice, body lice, pubic lice, bedbugs, the masked hunter, larder beetle larvae, stable flies, human fleas, cat fleas, dog fleas, brown dog tick, pigeon mites, mites on birds, house dust mites, storage mites and spiders. These are mainly troublesome outdoors: Thrips, common flower bugs, water bugs, rusty tussock moth larvae, mosquitoes, black flies, midges, horse flies, bees, hornets, ants, hedgehog fleas, bird fleas, caster bean tick, ha…

Animals that gnaw metal

…ead or zinc is laid on laths containing the larvae of wood wasps or of the beetle Callidium. The adult insects make large holes in the metal which allow damp to enter and the timber will then be attacked by fungus. Wood-boring beetles may also work their way out through metal plates. Insect pests of timber have been known to gnaw through electric cables and thus cause a short circuit. Rats and mice also gnaw electric conduits, causing current fail…

Bark beetles

…gnawed by bark beetle in birch (Bark removed) These are small, cylindrical beetles with a large thorax. They can be distinguished from the furniture beetles by their angled antennae. The adults emerge in the spring and search for diseased or newly felled trees, where they gnaw their way into the bark. After mating the female makes a tunnel in the bark and forms an egg-gallery with small niches, in each of which she lays an egg. When the larvae hat…

Common bean weevil

Common bean weevil (Latin: Acanthoscelides obtectus) This beetle mainly infests beans, but it may also occur in other related crops. It can lay eggs in fresh beans in the fields or in dried stored beans. The female lays several eggs in each bean. When the larvae are fully grown they gnaw their way out towards the surface of the bean and pupate, leaving a thin shell between themselves and the outside world. When the adult beetles are ready to emer…

Hide and bacon beetles

…( Latin: Family Dermestidae) The members of this beetle family live principally on the dried remains of plants and animals. Many species live on for example cartilage and scraps of dried meat and some can utilize hair and feathers (see p. 98). This way of life will, of course, bring them into conflict with human interests, for they frequently attack dried foodstuffs….

Dermestes haemorrhoidalis

…which also lives on dried animal remains. Larvae ready to pupate have the same habit of gnawing their way into all kinds of materials. This is a recent addition to the European fauna, but it appears to have become quite common, particularly in large towns. The adult beetles fly very well and so an odd one may appear in any house. In general, they can do no damage in a normal household, but they may multiply if the remains of food and other kitche…

Trypodendron

…endron ( Latin: Xyloterus ) Timber showing the activities of this ambrosia beetle is quite commonly seen in Europe. It lives in conifers; others are associated with deciduous trees. After mating the female drives a short tunnel into the trunk of the tree, and from this she makes two or three horizontal egg-galleries, which usually follow the annual rings. She then gnaws small niches in the roof and floor of the galleries and lays an egg in each on…

Woodworm

…ferent types of wood. The woodworm is also known as the common wood boring beetle (Anobium Punctatum). Appearance Typically, the woodworm is characterized by its brown shell with dotted stripes on the cover wings. Their size is typically 3-5 mm. Traces of the woodworm are often found in older houses as well as outdoors, where it lives in wooden fences, dead trees, and other types of soft wood. The woodworm will typically be seen during the summer…

Scent

…flour or grain impart a sweet, sickly smell to these foodstuffs, while the beetle Tribolium destructor produces a substance with a smell like Lysol, and this will be particularly noticeable when infested goods have been kept in tight-fitting containers. Cockroaches have a characteristic sweet smell, but there has to be several of them before this is apparent, and normally they will already have revealed their presence in some other way. Most bugs…

Other wasps

…stings if you annoy them. Fig. 51. A parasitic wasp laying eggs in larder beetle larvae. It is only 3.5 mm long, and in 1974, it was common in one of the Ministries where the stung the employees. (Howard) Several species of small dark ichneumon flies may be found indoors. Usually, they will not sting people, but some species can inflict non-serious stings. Identification, however, is rarely a problem because the sting is clearly felt, so the culp…

Bostrychidae

…Bostrychidae is a tropical beetle family which mostly consists of wood boring species. A few species, such as the lesser grain borer, have, however, adapted themselves to a life in foods….

True weevils snout beetles

…the tip of a proboscis-like protrusion. The nut weevil is a commonly known beetle, which is responsible for the wormholes you see in ripe hazelnuts. The nut weevil larvae live inside the nut before it is ripe and it does not infest ripe nuts. Weevils of the genus Apion are associated with different kinds of seeds prior to harvesting. They are often dragged into warehouses with peas or beans, but this is often irrelevant, because they do not thrive…

Allergy to pests

…re said to be caused by mites, but it has never actually been proved. Many beetle larvae have barbed hairs. The hairs break easily and find its way to human skin where it can cause allergic reactions and inflammation. Fig. 1. 1. Most people do not get skin reactions when allergy tested with extracts of house dust mites and flour mites. Those who do, react either to one of the two mite species or to both of them. In this figure, each dot represent…

The common bean weevil

…bean weevil. Latin: Acantoscelides obtectus. This is a 2 – 4 mm long, oval beetle, which is brown on the top side with yellowish green hair and light gray stripes. The common bean weevil is a tropical species based in South America. It comes to Europe with imported goods and since it can complete its development at temperatures as low as 16-17 ° C, it can be very harmful in the summer months and in heated storages. At optimal temperatures which ar…

The coffee bean weevil

…lt, larva and pupa. Latin: Araeocerus fasciculatus. This small, dark brown beetle is known primarily from stocks of unroasted coffee beans. It is common in tropical and subtropical coastal countries, and can also be seen in corn, cocoa, nutmeg and the seeds of leguminous plants. It requires food that is not too dry. The water content must be equal to 65% RH and preferably a little more than that. The larvae live inside the coffee beans and turn th…

Skin beetles

…s and animals. Some of the skin beetle larvae belong to the carrion fauna. They first appear in carrion when maggots and others have eaten most of the meat. Skin beetles eat cartilage and dry meat leftovers. Some skin beetles can also digest hair and feathers….

The reesa vespulae

…to appear in Europe and it has become common in the Nordic countries. The beetles are between 2 and 5 mm long. The front third of the beetle is black, while the rest is brown, with a light drawing on the front of the elytrons. The larvae are up to 6 mm long. They are hairy and brown. The hind has a long brush of golden hair. The reesa vespulae larvae are practically omnivorous. Reesa vespulae, adult and larva. In North America, where it is found…

(8) The pharaoh ant and the common black ant

…ons to cold temperate zones in which we live. However, there are a few exceptions and one of these is the dark flour beetle….

Pine weevil

…ve in tree stumps and in the roots of diseased or dead conifers. The adult beetles may cause some damage outdoors because they gnaw shoots and twigs, but indoors they are quite harmless. The beetles occur particularly in new timber houses, and they are possibly attracted by the scents given off during the first few years. Pine weevil (left) can be confused with the Black vine weevil. Both have stains off yellow hair on the wings. The snout of the…

Plaster beetles

Latin: Clavicornia spp. Plaster beetles Season for plaster beetles The name plaster beetle is an umbrella term for a part of the beetles of the genera Cryptophagus, Lathridius, Enicmus, Cartodere and Mycetaea. They are often considered as a group because they have a uniform biology, they are found in the same places and they all belong to the superfamily Clavicornia. Their outer antennae joints are developed as small clubs. Plaster beetles are qu…

Spider beetles

…Spider beetle Latin: Family Ptinidae As mentioned on p. 75 these beetles attack a little of everything and they do not go out of their way to gnaw textiles. Their gnawing activities can normally be recognized by the small, regular, round holes and the absence of silk….

Insect appearance

…lytra), v2: hindwing (in flies hindwings are transformed into small clubs. Beetles use hindwingswings to fly. Butterflies use both pairs of wings as fly wings), I-IX, and X are the first, ninth and tenth parts of the abdomen. The softer parts of the exoskeleton, the epicuticle, is illustrated with dots. (Weber from Boas-Thomsen) . Unlike vertebrates, insects are built with their skeleton on the outside of the body. This is known as the exoskeleton…

Animals in paper, leather and plastics

…r after yellow slug There are, however, only a few species, such as boring beetles and silverfish, which actually feed on a diet of paper, which consists almost entirely of cellulose (see p. 107). Glazed paper also contains glues which may, for example, attract cockroaches, and finally damp paper will provide a substrate for the growth of various kinds of fungus, and this makes it a good food source for animals such as wood-lice, earwigs and certa…