Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar

Black bug house infestation

My home has been invaded this summer by these little guys. We've lived here 8 years and have only found a few a summer in the house...this year they've gone nuts (20-50 during daily bug sweeps in corners, on floor, etc.) We found them mostly in the corners but they can climb walls. Never found them in a cupboard (we live in MN so all grain products are in plastic containers anyway...because that's how Mom always did it!) We did a huge house cleaning, assuming it was some kind of carpet beetle. We have no wool carpets and cannot identify what they are feeding on.




I've searched many resources online and have not found a picture that quite matches these little guys. Any help at identification and best methods of eradication would be appreciated very much. Any non-chemical methods to remove them from the house are preferred.

Thank you very, very much.

Root Weevils
found indoors often come from (surprise) houseplants or plants brought in from outside for the winter. Usually not a problem for the plants, larvae are competitive and only a few make it to maturity.

Weevle Beetles
I just wanted to add to this in case someone was looking. They are called weevle Beetles. We just moved into our house in Anchorage AK and they have been popping up everywhere. I have been killing them daily. Pest control I guess does not help with these lil guys. Apparently you see then the most in spring and summer. They crawl everywhere. The worst part is they have landed on me in the middle of night, so we are getting rid of them!

Wrong place to post this, but....
When you have images, you need to please upload them to the "ID Request" section, not to the forums. This forum welcomes identification questions with descriptions only....

That said, these are "root weevils" in the genus Otiorhynchus. Root weevils are flightless, nocturnal, and frequently wander into houses in error. Their larvae feed on the roots of various plants and occasionally do substantial damage to strawberries and other crops. The beetles can simply be picked up as they don't bite, are not venomous, not dangerous in any way. More information can be had at any ".edu" website that addresses root weevils.

Ahhh...
Though I can't tell you what kind exactly this is, I can tell you my own experience with them. We get these little ones every year as well. They are harmless, simply popping up in awkward places.

I live in MN as well, and I think that they like to spend the winters in the cracks and crannies and then come out throughout the year. I think now they might be looking for shelter early. I've seen a slight increase in them as well.

We just toss them outside or leave them alone. We've never had problems other than feeling bad and having to pick the poor drowning things out of the tub. An expert can tell you what species though.

 
More Info
That's a quarter that it's next to.

Cassie, do you by any chance have pets? We've found a lot of them (5-10) gathered by the occassional corner hairball (we have 2 Golden Retrievers).

If anyone can ID the species, it would be helpful in figuring out if they are breeding inside or finding some new (in the last year) way of getting in the house. The nuber has increased significantly for us (we used to get a few a year).

 
Yuppers!
But we've never seen them gather in the accumulated hair. We have 4 cats and 2 dogs, and have really never seen that.

Well, if they gather in the hair, maybe you could make a hair trap! I know goldies shed QUITE a bit, and I'm sure you would have no trouble getting enough 'bait'.

The last year has been a doozy for insect numbers. Large amounts of snow and a lot of moisture early on seemed to boost the numbers a great deal. If we get the same this winter, it may repeat. But it could just be a fluke.

Good luck in finding a solution! At least they don't bite or stink!

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.