Identify this bug infestation in Holland
August 13, 2019 11:06 PM Subscribe
Asking for a coworker: a house in the Netherlands has been invaded by bugs (warning, it's a hellscape). My colleague described them as small, hard shelled beetles, maybe 1 cm long, with wings. What are they, and how to best get rid of them?
My coworker doesn't know where they came from and hasn't located their source, point of entry or nesting grounds. The bugs are all concentrated around the living room window sill.
My coworker consulted an exterminator who was apparently kind of vague in their response, just claimed they're "food beetles" and have spread from the kitchen. However, there's no trace of bugs anywhere in the kitchen at all (nor elsewhere in the house).
Household bug spray does seem to kill them, although individual bugs take a long time to die. And there's obviously the worry that something more serious might be going on. Are these the kind of bugs that carve your floor or ceiling into Swiss cheese?
My coworker doesn't know where they came from and hasn't located their source, point of entry or nesting grounds. The bugs are all concentrated around the living room window sill.
My coworker consulted an exterminator who was apparently kind of vague in their response, just claimed they're "food beetles" and have spread from the kitchen. However, there's no trace of bugs anywhere in the kitchen at all (nor elsewhere in the house).
Household bug spray does seem to kill them, although individual bugs take a long time to die. And there's obviously the worry that something more serious might be going on. Are these the kind of bugs that carve your floor or ceiling into Swiss cheese?
The chance of getting an ID would be improved if the pictures were better; I know it’s difficult with small insects and a phone camera, but well lit and in focus would be a good start. A top-down shot and a side-on shot are always a good place to start if you don’t know what features might be useful for ID, of a living insect, or at least one not too out of shape. Also a size is helpful.
Having said that, these pages might be helpful:
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/stored-product-insects/species/
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/woodworm/species/
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/textile-pests/species/
They seem to have clubbed antennae, so I don’t think they’re woodworm. Maybe flour beetles, if they are a food pest?
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 12:44 AM on August 14, 2019
Having said that, these pages might be helpful:
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/stored-product-insects/species/
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/woodworm/species/
https://www.rentokil.co.uk/textile-pests/species/
They seem to have clubbed antennae, so I don’t think they’re woodworm. Maybe flour beetles, if they are a food pest?
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 12:44 AM on August 14, 2019
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Your chance of getting a good ID if you post there is good.
posted by dws at 11:21 PM on August 13, 2019 [2 favorites]