Ground Beetles

Ground beetles have more than 800 species around the world, that’s why make them the most common beetles in ground and gardens, they also live in the soil under trees trunks, rocks, wood, leaves, especially near fruits, gardens and plants, ground beetles are nocturnal creatures, they become active at night, they invade and cause inconvenience to homeowners.

Ground beetle’s identification 

ground beetles have an oval body with three pairs of legs, two pairs of wings, a prominent jaw, their size ranges from 2: 2.5 mm, ground beetles have a dark color to black color with metallic colors on their body such as orange, copper yellow, green and blue, ground beetles shape and Size may be different  according to type, ground beetles body is divided into three segments: head, chest and abdomen, their wings are covered with an outer and solid layer to protect them from predators, the most characteristic thing in ground beetles is their prominent jaw that helps them in hunting, they also move very quickly when they feel threatened.

Where ground beetles live?

ground beetles lives and reproduces in the soil, they also are found on the ground, especially under tree trunks, rocks, wood, leaves, panels, ground beetles prefer to live between agricultural crops, such as fruit, gardens, and green lands, when ground beetles invade homes, home owners can find them in moist places, lower floors or hidden area in the basement, ground beetles become active during night, they may enter homes from time to time, but they reproduce in the open air.

ground beetles feeding habits 

ground beetles may be useful insects due to their eating habits, because they are predatory insects which feed on ants, aphids, larvae and worms. They also eat larvae as a primary food source, and protect agricultural crops from pests and other insects, some types of ground beetles may feed on plants such as seeds.

Ground beetles Life Cycle

Ground beetles undergoes a complete transformation in their life cycle, females lay eggs inside the soil, they lay from 30 to 600 eggs, when eggs hatch, Larvae get out and pass through three stages until adulthood, adult ground beetles can live from one to four years, they are more active during April and October.

Why do ground beetles enter our homes?

ground beetles live in open air in the green areas, they are attracted to light especially in the summer, they also gather around homes during night and they sneak through small cracks and openings around home, ground beetles can be found in the basement and humid areas.

How serious are ground beetles?

Ground beetles feed on garden pests such as ants, aphids, larvae and worms, some types eat seeds, buds, pollen and corn seeds and destroy crops and agricultural areas, when they invade homes they release unpleasant odor ground beetles don’t reproduce inside homes, therefore they don’t damage to properties.

How to prevent ground beetles from invading our homes?

•  Seal cracks and openings around homes, because ground beetles reach buildings through these small cracks and holes.
• Reduce plants size around the home and foundation.
• Reduce outdoor lighting around the home or use yellow light bulbs instead of bright white lights.
• eliminate rocks, stones, wood, panels and debris around the home.
• Use vacuum cleaner to get rid of the ground beetles.
• Use adhesive traps to get rid of ground beetles.
• call a pest control company in Jeddah to get rid ground beetles immediately.