How to Get Rid of Beetles in Your Garden & Yard - 2023 Guide

In this article, we'll go over some of the best ways to get rid of beetles, as well as some quick DIY tricks and other preventative measures you can take for your home and garden.

Key Takeaways

• Throughout the US, beetles are a typical household pest. They consume plants, tiny insects, and wood and textile fibers.
• Beetles can ruin your clothes, your garden, or some building materials. They are estimated to cause $460 million in crop damage each year.
• Utilize natural solutions to get rid of beetles in your house, such as diatomaceous earth, insect traps, pyrethrin, peppermint, or neem oil.
• Batting, exclusion, and hiring a pest management expert are traditional beetle reduction strategies.

Are Beetles Hard to Get Rid Of?

In terms of pest control, beetles are neither the hardest nor the simplest to eradicate. Because most invasions (depending on the species) occur alone, the issue can be resolved with a single, powerful crunch of a shoe.

But controlling invasive beetles is a little more difficult. Even though we'll discuss various methods to get rid of invasive beetles like carpet beetles and pantry beetles later on in this guide, those particular beetles can be very hard to get rid of if you don't make significant changes to your way of life or home. Similar to garden beetles, eradicating them on your own can be very challenging because they are outdoor-dwelling pests, but there are some effective DIY methods.

How to Get Rid of Beetles Naturally: 6 Home Remedies

You may be interested in learning how to permanently remove beetles from your home or yard if you have them. Fortunately, there are a few straightforward DIY solutions you can try.

Here's what we recommend:

1. Peppermint Oil

Natural pest deterrents that work well include mint oil and the plants that produce it. Mix 8 ounces of water with 10 to 15 drops of pure peppermint oil to repel beetles from your home. Shake the mixture well, then mist it around your windows, vents, and doorways.

Pros: Affordable, effective, easy to DIY, safe for kids and pets

Cons: Requires regular re-application, may bother people who don't enjoy the strong scent of peppermint

2. Neem Oil

Neem oil is widely used as a natural insect repellent because it kills more than 200 species of insects while being completely safe for children, pets, and wildlife.

Neem oil can be used to make a natural insect repellent by spraying it along the seams of your windows and doorways or directly on indoor plants to help control inside insects.

Pros: Effective, fast-acting solution, safe and non-toxic, easy to DIY

Cons: Requires regular re-application, neem oil can be difficult to find

3. Insect Traps

Sticky traps for insects that crawl can work well. For best results, get a few of these traps from your neighborhood hardware store and set them up wherever you've seen beetle activity.

These devices catch beetles by releasing a scent that attracts them. The glue secures the insect when it steps on the trap, preventing them from moving or escaping.

Pros: Affordable, effective, easy to place

Cons: Unsightly, requires you to replace trap regularly, kids and pets may interfere with the traps

4. Pyrethrin

Pyrethrin, a naturally occurring chemical extracted from chrysanthemum flowers, quickly dispatches insects by acting on their nervous systems. When you see beetles, spray Pyrethrin directly on them for best results.

Pros: Effective, fast-acting solution

Cons: Highly manual, requires you to spot and spray insects, requires you to pick up dead bodies of insects

5. Lavender

While lavender oil smells wonderful to humans, beetles are repelled by it. Put bundles of dried lavender into your drawers and closets to deter insects, or create a spray by combining 8 ounces of water with 10 drops of lavender oil.

Pros: Effective, safe, and non-toxic, ideal for homes with kids and pets, pleasant smell

Cons: Requires regular re-application

6. Diatomaceous Earth (DE)

Algae is crushed and fossilized to create DE. Although food-grade DE, which is available online, is safe for children, pets, and wildlife, it is lethal to insects. Insects will succumb to dehydration within hours of contact with DE.

Apply a thin layer of DE along your home's foundation seam and around access points to kill beetles.

Pros: Affordable, safe, and non-toxic

Cons: Can be messy, requires regular re-application

3 Conventional Methods to Get Rid of Beetles Inside the Home

Looking for a traditional method to rid your home and garden of beetles? Here are a few fast options:

1. Set Bait Stations

You can get rid of beetles and other household pests by using bait stations. You can set up these stations, which resemble long tubes, anywhere there is insect or beetle activity. They have a bait inside that beetles are drawn to by smell. The bait quickly puts the beetles to death after they eat it.

Pros: Effective, fast-acting

Cons: Unsightly, may be toxic to kids and pets, requires you to clean up dead beetles

2. Focus on Exclusion

If you want your beetle control methods to be effective, exclusion is crucial. Beetles can be killed with bait stations and sprays, but as long as new beetles are getting into your house, it won't do you much good.

With this in mind, concentrate on limiting access for beetles. Install screens behind vents, replace worn-out weather-stripping, and apply fresh caulk around your windows, doors, and vent seals.

Pros: Effective, safe, affordable

Cons: Ongoing process, must check caulk and seals frequently

3. Hire a Pest Management Professional

For the best outcomes, employ a seasoned extermination crew like Smith's to get rid of the beetles in your house and garden. Professional teams are trained to locate the origin of beetle infestations and eradicate every last bug without endangering the safety of your children, pets, or family.

Pros: Effective, safe, long-lasting, suitable for both indoor and outdoor infestations

Cons: More expensive than some DIY options

4 Ways to Get Rid of Beetles Outside Your Home

Are there beetles all over your yard? Here are a few tips to get rid of them:

1. Use Water and Dish Soap

This manual method, though labor-intensive, has potential. Here's how to do it:

Hold a quart jar that has been filled with water and some dish soap underneath the branches of plants where beetles are congregating. The beetles will fall into the jar as you tap the branches, where the dish soap will suffocate them.

Pros: Effective, kills beetles fast, non-toxic

Cons: Labor-intensive, may take a long time to kill all the beetles in your yard

2. Vacuum Beetles Up

Beetles should be suctioned up using a wet/dry or ShopVac wherever you see them resting or moving. Fill a trash bag or jar with soapy water with the vacuum canister's contents and seal it.

Pros: Effective, safe, non-toxic

Cons: Highly manual, requires lots of upfront work, may require several attempts to get rid of all beetles, doesn't target beetles that are out of sight

3. Hang Beetle Traps

Hang traps around your lawn for a hands-free method of controlling beetles in your yard. Most home improvement stores in your area sell these traps. Most have a bag with an attractant for beetles inside. The beetles fall into the trap, get stuck, and eventually perish.

Pros: Low-impact, safe for kids and pets, non-toxic

Cons: Unsightly, may take months to kill all beetles, requires you to remove traps and dispose of dead beetles

4. Use Insecticidal Soap on Bushes and Landscaping

Use insecticidal soap to kill beetles if you've seen them hanging out near your house or harming your plants. Your neighborhood hardware store should sell this soap. To kill beetles immediately, spray it onto your bushes or plants.

Pros: Easy to apply, effective, many varieties are safe for kids and pets

Cons: May require several applications, may not kill all varieties of beetles

Also Read How to Get Rid of the Following Species:

Animals:

• Groundhogs
• Ground Moles
• Moles and Gophers
• Chipmunks
• Rabbits
• Armadillo

Pests:

• Ant
• Brown Recluse Spiders
• Hornets
• Palmetto Bugs
• Spider Mites
• Water Bugs
• Black Caterpillars
• Grass Flies
• Carpenter Bees
• Scorpions

Plants:

• Mushrooms

How Do I Know What Kind of Beetles I Have?

You can choose the most effective strategy for getting rid of beetles by knowing what kind are invading your home or yard.

All beetles might appear similar at first glance. Take another look, though, and you'll notice that not all beetles are created equal.

Here are a few of the most common types:

Carpet Beetles

a typical annoyance here in the United States., the carpet beetle gets its name from its love of destroying fabrics and upholstered furniture. They enjoy quiet, dark areas that are uninhabited, such as the seams of furniture or the underside of carpets.

Carpet beetles can be difficult to spot until you start noticing the damage they're causing because they're so good at hiding. These oval-shaped beetles have six legs and two antennae. Their hard, oblong bodies are kept tucked beneath their shells, and they have wings.

Natural and DIY Ways to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

To prevent, control, or even eradicate carpet beetles, there are a number of natural and do-it-yourself methods. To ensure that you have gotten rid of every one of them, you might need to select a variety of treatments. Because these are still beetles, some of the same treatments that work on other species will work on carpet beetles as well, including:

• Borax
• Diatomaceous Earth

To get rid of the bugs and their eggs, you can put these on top of and around carpets. Other strategies that are effective against these pests include:

• Vacuuming: Good housekeeping can help to cut down or eradicate carpet beetle populations. Regular vacuuming can assist in preventing them from making your property their home. Insects and their eggs that are more difficult to see can be removed by vacuuming the top and bottom of a carpet. Also keep in mind that these pests may be feeding on your clothing, furniture, and other items.
• Eliminating All Food Sources – One of the simplest ways to get rid of carpet beetles is to get rid of the things they eat. Put the carpet in an airtight bag and dispose of it if carpet beetles are discovered inside. the leftovers are then vacuumed up. This might not be feasible in houses with a lot of animal fibers, but it might work in houses with just one or two affected rugs.
• Dryer: Place any contaminated items in the dryer for 15 minutes to destroy carpet beetles and their eggs. However, it can work on some small carpets, clothing, and other items that are regarded as dryer-safe. Keep in mind that some of the products they feed on are not intended to be in a dryer.
• Moth Flakes – Naphthalene and Paradichlorobenzene moth flakes have been shown to be effective against carpet beetles. It's important to use them properly because they can be toxic to people.

It is possible, but frequently more challenging than it appears, to eradicate a carpet beetle infestation without professional assistance. Because carpet beetles can survive hidden in closets, attics, basements, and other places, there may be items that you've overlooked that can sustain the population and ultimately cause a resurgence. It only takes a few missed eggs or a few adult beetles to completely rebuild an infestation.

Professional Pest Control to Get Rid of Carpet Beetles

Since carpet beetles are still insects, the same pyrethrins that earlier in the article affected other beetle species can also be used to kill them. Pyrethrins are substances with chemical structures that are meant to resemble those of chrysanthemum flowers. These include:

• Cyfluthrin
• Bifenthrin
• Deltamethrin
• Permethrin
• Tetramethrin

Pyriproxyfen and cypermethrin are additional, albeit less usual, treatments.
The application of these carpet beetle exterminators is comparable, but because these treatments are only used indoors and because they are only used on beetles, as opposed to other treatments that are frequently used on all pests, your pest control professional is likely to use one with deltamethrin or cyfluthrin, which are the two most popular options on beetles (all five, however, are effective, so there are typically no wrong choices here).

Your pest control expert will want to know the type of application. Beetles can be killed using a liquid treatment, a dust treatment, an aerosol, or an oil mixture called an EC (emulsifiable concentrate). The decision will be based on where they are, the extent of the infestation, whether you want to save the carpet, and the safety of everyone inside the house.

Despite the fact that both people and pests are safe from these treatments, it is still advisable to limit contact with some of them (like aerosols and dust) for your own safety. In locations with limited human access, such as attics, these treatments might be very successful. During your consultation, your pest control expert will go over the various choices. Using these for a DIY project is typically not advised.

In order to determine how the carpet beetles entered your property and prevent future infestations, it is a good idea to check your property for small holes. You could also think about using seasonal pest control as a pest barrier.

Japanese Beetles

In the United States, the Japanese beetle is a common pest. The Japanese beetle is infamous for destroying ornamental and landscaping plants, but it also eats fruits, flowers, leaves, and other things. Adult beetles are about ⅓"-½" long with a shiny green body that looks metallic.

While Japanese beetles aren't likely to cause much harm inside your house, they can quickly wreak havoc on your garden and outdoor plants.

Natural and DIY Ways to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

Because carpet beetles are frequently found in lawns and around human food, it is only natural to want to prevent or get rid of these pests naturally. You can do this by using do-it-yourself methods to get rid of carpet beetles quickly and effectively. There are some natural methods you can try, but not all of them will be powerful enough to get rid of these resilient pests. These include:

• Pick Them Out – Japanese beetles can be taken out by hand. Pick up some dish soap and a bucket of water early in the morning. After combining everything, take the beetles from your garden and drop them into the water mixture. The beetles fall in and drown when the surface tension of the water is reduced by the soap.
• Water and Soap – If you don't mind getting a little soap on your plants (but try to avoid getting any on your fruits and vegetables), water and soap is also known to work as a quick-acting, natural pesticide for Japanese beetles. Spray a solution of water and soap on all Japanese beetles that aren't directly in contact with your food. The majority of beetles will die from the spray upon contact.
• Soapy Water and Birds: One entertaining, albeit challenging technique makes use of one of the few natural enemies that Japanese beetles have in the United States: birds. You would need to start by luring more birds to your lawn. For many homes, it is easier said than done. Spray a solution of dish soap and water in the locations where you think Japanese beetles may be present. They are pushed to the surface as a result, where they can be eaten by birds. You can also attempt to get rid of them yourself when they surface, but the grubs are tiny and frequently challenging to catch and handle.
• The larvae of the Japanese beetle are infected by nematodes, a type of microscopic parasitic worm, which then eats them. They kill larvae one at a time as they move from one host to another. As they supply the nutrients that healthy soils require, they are also beneficial for the soil.
• Cedar oil is the oil from the cedar tree. Although this oil has virtually no impact on gardens and landscapes, it can be fatal to Japanese beetles when present in high concentrations. It can also be made at home, though it might be challenging if you don't have access to the right kind of cedar. Several cedar species are useful, but red cedar is favored. If you want to make it, buy some red cedar at a lumberyard, put some cuts of it in a bucket with some nearly boiling water, and wait for about 24 hours. The oils will be extracted as a result, and you can use a sprayer to apply them to your garden as needed.
• Neem oil is comparable to cedar oil and is arguably a more popular natural remedy for getting rid of Japanese beetles for good. Neem oil takes longer to work than cedar and is typically more expensive. However, when used on Japanese beetles, it is consumed by the male beetles who then pass it on to the eggs. The toxic substance is then ingested by the larva. Neem oil is popular among organic gardeners because it is slow but non-toxic.
• Although most pests and humans are unaffected by the Japanese beetle disease known as "milky spore," Japanese beetles eventually succumb to it. Milky spore is widely available for purchase in hardware stores due to its effectiveness. When the beetles are in their larval stage, you spread it as a powder on your lawn, giving them a contagious illness that will eventually spread to all of the beetles, killing them off one by one.

A Japanese beetle should never be handled roughly at any time. Ironically, when a female Japanese beetle is crushed, its pheromones (the chemicals that attract mates) are released, resulting in more beetles on your garden.

Professional Pest Control to Get Rid of Japanese Beetles

The above eco-friendly options are not just for do-it-yourself Japanese beetle extermination. Many pest control experts also employ them. Choosing a pest control company can be helpful for figuring out which strategy is best for each season and making sure the applications are done correctly.

Additionally, insecticides and other chemical techniques are available. Examples of this include:

• Imidacloprid is a pesticide that imitates nicotine. To eliminate grubs in the soil, it is primarily found in lawn granules.
• Cypermethrin: Cypermethrin is a different type of pyrethroid. While all of the pyrethroids on this list are effective, cypermethrin is frequently used to treat Japanese beetles because of its effectiveness.
• Lambda-Cyhalothrin is another pyrethroid that, like the others, can be used to treat a wide range of pests. However, it is a component of several well-known Japanese beetle products. It has a long lifespan and can keep beetles from emerging in the future for several months while also eradicating them right now.

Because Japanese beetles are so destructive to gardens and landscapes and because many treatments for them also kill other pests, many pest control experts opt to combine them with other natural remedies, particularly nematodes and neem. This is because the combination of fast-acting pesticides and slower-acting natural remedies typically results in a much more effective removal of an infestation.

Asian Beetles

In California, homes frequently have Asian beetles, also known as ladybugs. When they are outside, ladybugs are thought of as a beneficial species because they eat plant pests, but when they enter the house, they can do a lot of harm.

Adults of this species tend to be about ⅜" long with a hard, red shell and black spots. When the weather gets cold in the winter, it's not unusual to find tens of thousands of these beetles gathered in attics, ceilings, or cracks in walls.

If they manage to get into your heating vents, turning on the furnace will instantly send hundreds of them into the interior rooms of your house.

Click Beetles

The click beetle is widespread in North America. There are more than 900 different species of them. Known for their elongated, brown bodies, adult click beetles can be about 1.5"-1" long. Even though click beetles typically don't cause problems indoors, they can do serious harm to your garden because they love to eat plants and vegetables.

General Beetle Characteristics

More than 350,000 species of beetles have been recorded worldwide, according to recent statistics. With that in mind, here are a few general facts to help you identify these pests:

• Size. Beetles come in almost every size, shape, and color. Others have square bodies, while others have oval or round ones. Some of them even resemble spiders in their physical makeup. They may be a few centimeters in size or up to an inch or larger.
• Appearance. The majority of beetle species have recognizable antennae and mouthpieces designed for chewing wood, leaves, or roots.
• Wings. Beetles typically have weak flight abilities, but the majority of them have front wings that resemble hard shells. The beetle can be shielded from environmental dangers and dehydration thanks to the strength and water resistance of these wings.

What Attracts Beetles to My Home and Yard?

If you're wondering, "Why does my yard have so many beetles?" or "Beetles are drawn to what?", you're not alone. How can you prevent the beetles from entering your home and what is bringing them there?

Here are a few of the most common attractants for these pests:

1. Location

Occasionally, beetles are drawn to a home simply because of its location. Beetles enter buildings in search of warmth and protection when the weather turns chilly. It might be sufficient to draw swarms of them if your home is in the right spot at the right time.

2. Accessibility

Beetles are again opportunists. They'll probably get inside if your home has openings they can find and use, like ripped screens, gaps around windows and doors, or unlocked vents.

3. Food and Water

Beetles require both food and water to survive, just like all other animals. The majority of species eat plants, tiny insects, or fibers from wood and textiles as their main sources of food.

Pet bowls, seeps from leaking pipes, or water left in drains all suffice to supply them with the small amount of water they require to function.

4. Shelter

Most beetles prefer hidden, quiet, and dark areas. The areas behind appliances, in your attic, or in your home's vents are a few examples of overlooked places where you might find them.

What Kind of Damage Can Beetles Cause?

Generally speaking, there are three basic groups of beetles, each of which does a specific kind of damage:

• Fabric beetles
• Food beetles
• Wood beetles

Each of these beetles consumes a particular type of fuel, as indicated by their names, and can harm your home or property.

Depending on the species, beetles can harm clothing, crops (Japanese beetles alone cause about $460 million in crop damage annually), decor, furniture, and packaged goods, such as food or pantry items.

How Do Exterminators Get Rid of Beetles?

Professional exterminators kill beetles with tried-and-true techniques.

Here's what you can expect from the professionals at Smith's Pest Management:

1. Initial Inspection

The first step is a thorough inspection of your property by our team of pest control experts. We'll determine the type of beetle and where the infestation originated during this inspection. We'll create a pest management strategy based on what we discover that will address your particular issues.

2. Client Education

The majority of pest infestations necessitate a long-term strategy. We'll offer you and your family education that is at the forefront of the industry to help you understand the cause of your infestation.

You'll discover the different species of beetles you may have in your house or garden, what they eat, what draws them there, and what you can do to deter them from returning.

This information gives you and your family more power and helps stop re-infestation.

3. Plan Execution and Follow-Up

We will then implement the strategy we created for your family. Depending on the situation, our team may also offer post-treatment follow-up to make sure the infestation is gone and there aren't any new beetles appearing in your garden or house.

How Do I Keep Beetles Out of My House and Yard?

Beetles should be kept out of your yard and away from your home as the first step in keeping them out of your home.

Here are a few tips:

1. Seal Entry Points

Seal off all possible entry points to prevent bugs from entering your home. Caulking and weather stripping cracks, as well as the regions near windows, doors, soffits, and vents, should be given extra attention.

2. Deploy An Exterior Barrier Treatment

If beetles are a recurring issue in your house, use an exterior barrier treatment to eliminate them right away. Your neighborhood home goods store offers these treatments. To prevent beetles from gathering and entering your space, sprinkling the treatment around your doors, windows, foundation, and roofline will help.

3. Eliminate Food Sources

Remove the beetle-attracting food sources as much as you can. This entails clearing leftovers off countertops, storing all perishable food in the refrigerator or a plastic container with an airtight lid, and promptly wiping up spills and crumbs.

Additionally, it's a good idea to trim any bushes or trees that are too close to your house, and to empty your pet's water and food bowls as frequently as you can.

Final Thoughts

Beetles come in a wide variety of forms, sizes, and shapes. It can be challenging to completely get rid of beetle from entering your yard and house because each has a different preferred food source, which can range from raspberries to rose bushes to the flour in your pantry.

Don't wait until the issue becomes out of hand if you find beetles. Use the advice in this article to take action right away to fight back. Contact a local pest control expert right away if things get out of hand so they can quickly identify and take care of the specific species of beetles they find in your yard and house.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Does It Cost to Get Rid of Beetles?

Depending on the type of beetle, type of treatment, and severity of the infestation, the price varies significantly. Most types of beetles only require seasonal pest control, which can be carried out monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly for a small monthly fee starting at $40 to $75 for smaller homes. This type of pest control is all that is required for most types of beetles. Larger infestations, such as a sizable carpet beetle population, might be more. The best way to learn about prices for local pest control is to call them.

Are Any Beetles Dangerous?

One of the few pests that are not dangerous to humans is the beetle. Although all insects have the potential to transport bacteria, beetles are less likely to do so than other scavenger pests like roaches. Stag beetles, Longhorn beetles, and blister beetles are all capable of biting people and causing discomfort, but these insects are sporadic biters and are not known to leave lasting harm unless a person experiences an extremely unlikely allergic reaction.

Are Stink Bugs Beetles? What About Cockroaches?

Despite their resemblance, cockroaches and stink bugs are not a species of beetle.

Is Pest Control for Beetles Safe?

Typically, no, though it depends on the kind of treatment. The insecticides used to control beetles and other insects may be harmful if swallowed or consumed in large quantities. However, what pest control companies actually use is a highly diluted pesticide spray, which also turns virtually harmless once it dries, which takes only a few minutes. Though it is never advised to lick or consume pesticides, the vast majority are considered to be "safer than table salt" for humans and pets.