Destruction of ground beetles. Protection of winter wheat from ground beetles. Where do bugs come from?

Pest type: Pest of cereal crops

Row: Coleoptera - Coleoptera

Family: ground beetles - Carabidae

Distributed in the steppe and forest-steppe to the southern border of Polesie. According to its numbers and harmfulness, the territory of Russia can be divided into two zones: the first zone is constant, the second zone is cyclical harmfulness.

The beetle is 12-16 mm long, resinous-black with a faint metallic sheen. The elytra are convex, with deep grooves. Antennae, shins, and tarsi are brown-black.

The eggs are 2-2.5 mm in size, oval, milky white.

The larva is up to 28 mm, has three instars, which differ in the size of the head capsule and body. In larvae of the first instar, the width of the head capsule is 1.1-1.2 mm, of the second - 1.65-1.85, of the third - 2.25-3.1 mm, body length is 5-12, 10-20, respectively. 18-28 mm. The head and thoracic segments of the body of the larvae are dark brown, the abdomen of the larvae of the 1st, 2nd and in the middle of the 3rd century is gray-green, in larvae that finish feeding they are white, and before pupation they are cream. The pupae are open-type, white, and are found in an earthen cradle.

The development of the pupa lasts 15-25 days. Beetles begin to emerge on the soil surface during the formation of winter wheat grains, en masse in the milky ripeness phase. In the south this is observed in the second half of May-early June, in the north of the range in June. Beetles lead a predominantly crepuscular lifestyle.

During the day they are in different storages, and after sunset they climb up the stems to the ear, where they first gnaw out the ovary, and later the soft grain of wheat. The feeding of most beetles ends before the harvest, after which they, especially in hot, dry years, hide in the soil, depending on the humidity and accumulation of the fat body, to a depth of 10-50 cm, where they are in a state of summer diapause. Depending on the temperature and especially soil moisture, this condition can last 20-30 days or more.

When moisture gets into the soil chamber where they undergo diapause, the beetles become active again. They usually appear on the soil surface in the second half of August and early September. Under favorable conditions of soil moisture, the beetles mate and lay eggs in special small chambers in the soil at a depth of 10 cm. One female lays 50-70, maximum up to 270 eggs.

In dry weather, the fertility of females sharply decreases. Embryonic development lasts about 10-15 days. The revival of larvae is observed depending on soil moisture conditions from the end of August until the onset of frost.

The larvae feed on the ladder of winter crops, and feeding can continue under the snow. The larvae eat the young leaves of the seedlings, leaving only the veins. Damaged plants look terrible. In places where larvae accumulate, plants die, and spots in the form of “bald spots” form on crops. After overwintering, the larvae resume feeding on winter crops until pupation.

The pest develops in one generation.

Protective measures. Agrotechnical measures are of great importance in reducing the number of corn ground beetles, primarily compliance with crop rotation, reducing the share of taxi predecessors for winter wheat to 5-10%, timely and loss-free harvesting, stubble peeling, tillage using the semi-fallow system, destruction of carrion, sowing in the second half of the optimal timing. When placing wheat after taxiing predecessors in conditions of sufficient soil moisture in the seed placement layer (not higher than 14-15%), effective taxation of plants by treating seeds with insecticides. If there are 2-3 larvae in autumn or spring, 3-5 beetles per 1 m2 in summer, during the heading period, spraying with insecticides is used.

Ground beetles are insects belonging to the order Coleoptera. This is the largest family of beetles, the number of which increases every year. The color and shape of the ground beetle body are varied. Most of this species of insects either fly poorly or do not do so at all. Some are still little known, while others are very common. The most famous species that lives in apartments is the bread ground beetle.

The body shape is oval, length - from 15 to 50 ml, the body is black above and dark brown below. Strong, blunt jaws at the ends, visible antennae.

Both adult beetles and larvae can cause damage. The highest peak of their activity is summer and autumn, mostly in the evening and at night.

Penetration methods

• These beetles often enter homes with trees and go in search of food. Larvae can enter the house along with dust from the street.
• Ground beetles are attracted to the food of hamsters and rats if the cage is not cleaned in time.
• Insects are attracted by the light in the windows, and the absence of a mosquito net on them is a direct route for ground beetles to enter the house.
• They live in old furniture, in window sills - in places where old wood is present.
• They are often found in foods - potatoes, cereals, flour.

What danger do ground beetles pose in the house?

The bread ground beetle is more of a nocturnal beetle. During the day he simply hides under stones and trees, and if he lives in an apartment, he lives in furniture in dark areas where it is very difficult to get to him. They usually live near fields. They love wheat, barley and rust, but sometimes they do not disdain oats and corn. If there are no crops, they can eat leeks.

This beetle enters the house only under suitable conditions for it. To a greater extent, ground beetles prefer fields with cereal crops. But if an insect enters the house, with the coming of darkness it tries to find food. They see food as crumbs that have not been cleared from the table, food and cereals. The bread ground beetle prevents you from sleeping, disturbs you with its rustling noise, and often falls from the ceiling onto the bed or directly onto a person. And if they managed to get food, then the next step is reproduction. If you find a bread ground beetle in your home, then the first priority should be getting rid of it.

Prevention measures

It is necessary to carry out wet cleaning every day - this is the first and main preventive measure, because these beetles love dust, dirt and crumbs. If any wooden furniture is brought into the apartment, it should be treated in advance with special anti-beetle agents. If you don’t want to treat furniture with household chemicals, you can get by with a folk remedy – vinegar water or soda.

Due to the fact that ground beetles often live in cereals, flour and potatoes, it is necessary, after purchasing all these products, to review them and place them in glass containers. Flour should always be sifted through a sieve. It must be kept in a tightly closed container. Potatoes need to be sorted and washed.

Pest control

If a ground beetle was found in an apartment, getting rid of it will not be difficult. The main thing is to establish her favorite place on your territory. When cleaning your house, you need to wash these areas very thoroughly. To avoid the insect moving to another place, you need to remove crumbs from the table and do not forget the food on the table. It is advisable to get rid of garbage every evening.

Places where insects are most often seen should be wiped with insecticides (Dichlorvos). They can be purchased at any hardware store. There are also home remedies for bugs available. The chosen place of residence must be treated with soda or vinegar water. To quickly forget about harmful guests, products should be hidden and placed in airtight packaging.

Temperature control methods

If most of the ground beetles have settled in cereals or flour, then it is better to take these products to the trash bin. But if you don’t want to throw them away, you can destroy them using high temperatures. There are 3 methods that can help you get rid of beetles:

1. Calcination in the oven. Flour and semolina need to be calcined at a temperature of 50 degrees. Other cereals should be heated at a temperature of 100 degrees. They need to be kept in the oven for about half an hour.
2. The influence of ultraviolet radiation. Almost all beetles avoid sunlight, so placing the grains in the sun for 5-6 hours will be sufficient.
3. Freezing. Place the food in the freezer or on the balcony if the temperature there is minus 15 degrees. While the grains are being treated with frost, the cabinets where they were stored need to be treated. Baking soda or soap solution will help with this. For prevention, you can put several bags of pyrethrum, a type of chamomile, in the corners. Its smell will repel pests. This species is also not welcomed by moths.

Small cracks must be treated with boiling water. But here you need to be careful, since not all coating can withstand high temperatures. If you are not sure about this, it is better not to risk it.

Boric acid

Using boron bait is a very good way to combat obnoxious beetles. Almost all types of insects die from it. The beetle that ate this bait will die after some time. During this entire period, it infects other individuals. This method is good because the beetle brings poison to their main place of residence. Infects all beetles, both small and large.

To prepare the bait you will need paper. Powdered sugar and boric acid should be poured onto it. Instead of powdered sugar, you can take any cereal or honey. This bait should be placed in the corners of food cabinets, or in those areas of the apartment where beetles are most often found. Cereals and sweets strongly attract beetles.

Traditional methods of combating bread ground beetles

You can destroy uninvited guests using the following methods:

1. Herbs and plants with a pungent aroma. Place garlic, bay leaf, and cloves in food cupboards. The aroma of these plants is very repellent to beetles.
2. Metal nails. They must be placed in bulk products, having first washed and dried them, so that they do not rust later.
3. Fridge. If there is enough space in it, it is better to place the cereals there. If the pest is in the cereal, the low temperature will kill future pests.

And the best and surest method of avoiding ground beetles from entering your home is to store cereals and flour in glass containers immediately after purchase. Before pouring the product into a glass container, it is necessary to inspect it. This is due to the fact that not all stores have cleanliness and ideal storage conditions for food, so it is very easy to bring insects home.

By adhering to the rules of prevention, the insect will never bother you. Don’t forget about keeping the kitchen in perfect order and regularly cleaning work surfaces with disinfectants, and then nothing will be able to attract various insects. If a bug accidentally gets into such a place, survival in it will be unsuccessful. In this situation, he will look for another place to live. There is no need to be afraid of the corn ground beetle. The main thing is to start fighting it as soon as its presence in the house is discovered in order to prevent it from spreading throughout the house.

The ground beetle is another prominent representative of the insect family, which can cause some harm to humans by destroying food, as well as grain crops. However, not all types of ground beetles are considered harmful: there are also beneficial insects of this species. The insect often appears in a person’s home, causing significant damage to food products, as well as to the premises. Everyone who encountered this pest thought about how to get rid of this insect.

This article explains what the beetle looks like and how to get rid of it using various methods.

By appearance it is not difficult to distinguish this pest from other insects. The beetle's features are as follows:

• The beetle has an oval body shape.
• Body color is pure black, with a metallic tint.
• The beetle has a powerful jaw structure, which helps it eat various hard vegetation and grains of various crops.
• It has a mustache covered with small bristles.
• The beetle is distinguished by the presence of long legs, which allows it to move quickly across the surface and over long distances. The front legs are equipped with small growths with which the beetle cleans its whiskers.
• The insect's elytra are relatively large and almost completely cover the abdomen.

The size of the wings depends on the availability of food. The more it is, the smaller the wings, since the beetle does not have to fly long distances in search of food.

The bread ground beetle loves places with high humidity and moderate temperatures. Therefore, this insect has not taken root in dry areas. This beetle can be found in the north of the African continent, in South America, Sweden, England, in the south of Ukraine, in Russia and in Moldova.

The beetle mates during the warm period, throughout the summer and autumn. In this case, atmospheric conditions are of great importance. The more optimal they are for beetles, the larger the population of these insects. In dry years, the number of ground beetle offspring decreases sharply. The beetle prefers to lay eggs in the ground, at a depth of about 10 cm. After a few weeks, ground beetle larvae emerge from the eggs.

Once born, the beetle larvae are distinguished by a grayish-white hue. In this form, the larvae overwinter, and with the arrival of spring they rise closer to the surface of the soil, where they begin their life activities. They feed like this for about five weeks, changing their color to green and then black. By mid-spring, the larvae begin to pupate.

How does a ground beetle enter a human home?

This pest is found not only in the garden or vegetable garden, but also in apartments, country houses, and also in private houses. They penetrate into a person’s home in the following way:

• Beetles and larvae can appear in the house along with wood, as well as with street garbage.
• These insects are attracted to the smell of pet food if they are not taken care of and food remains are left behind.
• Ground beetles easily enter the house through open windows and doors. Therefore, it is advisable to install mosquito nets on the windows and cover the doorways with transparent fabric.
• These beetles can live in old furniture, under window sills, in crevices of window frames, etc.
• In addition, housewives often find them among bulk food products.

The bread ground beetle, as a rule, eats grain crops and can cause significant damage to the crop. Not only adults, but also larvae are involved in crop destruction. Adults suck out nutrients, and the larvae actively eat the green mass. They raid wheat, rye, barley, and sometimes eat corn, oats, etc. When there is not enough food for the beetle, it actively feeds on leeks.

These beetles pose a certain danger to both grain crops and food products found in human homes. This beetle is active at night, and during the day it hides in various shelters. Once in a person’s home, it can take root if conditions are favorable for this and if they are not actively fighting it. As a rule, with the onset of darkness, he begins to look for food.

He looks in the apartment for leftover food left on the dining table after dinner, as well as supplies of bulk food that are stored in the kitchen furniture and have free access to them. In addition, they prevent residents from sleeping by making rustling sounds. After they have settled in a house or apartment, they should be expected to reproduce, which cannot be allowed.

It is important to know! Having discovered a ground beetle in the house, it is necessary to immediately take measures to get rid of such a neighborhood before the beetles begin to multiply. The fewer insects, the easier it is to deal with them.

The common ground beetle does not cause harm, but the bread ground beetle can easily destroy the harvest of grain crops if special measures are not taken. Corn ground beetles are somewhat different from their relatives: they have shorter legs and an almost black body color. This pest can appear on a personal plot if grain crops are grown on the plot.

The following expert recommendations will help in the fight against this pest. Tips could be as follows:

• When growing grain crops, you should make sure that they are planted on the site no more than 2 years in a row. After this, it is better to sow the area with other crops.
• When planting plants, it is better to treat them with special pesticides that will not allow pests to multiply, as they will destroy beetle larvae.
• The ground beetle eats both ears and grains of cereal crops. Therefore, during the period of plant maturation, it is better to treat the field with chemicals such as Volaton, Bazudin, Nurel and others.

On the contrary, the garden ground beetle destroys various pests of fruit plants, helping to preserve the harvest. To maintain the number of garden ground beetles, you must adhere to the following tips:

• The garden ground beetle is included in the diet of moles, shrews and other birds of prey and lizards. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent these natural enemies of ground beetles from inhabiting the garden plot.
• You should not intentionally destroy ground beetles in a garden or plot of land unless grain crops are grown on it.
• In such cases, it is better to abandon the use of toxic substances and give preference to folk remedies.

It will not be possible to grow ground beetles on your own, so maintaining their numbers in the garden or vegetable garden will have to be done using the simple methods mentioned above.

Corn ground beetles, when they appear in an apartment, will only cause harm, since they easily destroy supplies of bulk food and will also prevent you from sleeping at night.

If you decide to carry out processing at home, you should proceed as follows:

• First of all, you need to determine the location of the cluster of ground beetles and do a good job in this area during general cleaning.
• After eating, it is advisable to remove all leftover food from the table. Empty the trash can regularly. If you don't do this, they will definitely find leftover food wherever it is.
• It is better to treat all surfaces, but especially in the kitchen, with chemical control agents, such as Dichlorvos or Karbofos. Similar insect control chemicals are available at any hardware store. Alternatively, a solution based on vinegar or soda is suitable. For 1 liter of liquid take 2 tbsp. spoons of vinegar or soda.

If there are a lot of ground beetles in the house and they have spoiled some food products, then it is better to get rid of such products immediately. Unfortunately, not all housewives are ready for such actions and try to save food in various ways. The most suitable of them:

• Roasting cereals in the oven. Various cereals, including semolina, can be roasted in the oven at a temperature of 50 degrees or more. It is better to calcinate the flour at a temperature of about 110 degrees. This procedure should take at least half an hour.
• Application of UV rays. Many insects cannot withstand direct sunlight, as they contain UV rays that negatively affect many microorganisms. Therefore, it is enough to expose the cereals to the sun for several hours.
• Fighting the cold. If cereals are placed in the freezer for several hours, both adults and larvae will die.

Naturally, after the beetles have “worked” with the cereals, it makes no sense to talk about the quality of food products. Therefore, the best option is to throw them away and start processing the kitchen furniture. It is treated with a vinegar solution. In addition, as a preventative measure, place small bouquets of lavender, mint, wormwood or other strong-smelling plants in the cabinets. The aroma of these plants will not allow these pests to reappear in a person’s home.

Since ground beetles appear to a greater extent in the house, moving from garden plots, preventive measures should be comprehensive. First, it is necessary to treat the garden plot with special chemicals, in combination with agrotechnical measures, which include deep digging of the soil. The larvae are exposed to the cold and die during real cold weather.

It is equally important to use preventive measures at home.

Constant monitoring of cleanliness in the house is an important factor that can prevent the appearance of such pests in the house. Therefore, regular cleaning of the apartment and monitoring the condition of bulk food products should become a habit. When old furniture is replaced with new one, it is necessary to carefully examine the new furniture for uninvited guests. To be more sure, it is better to treat it with a solution based on soda or vinegar.

This pest can be found in flour or potatoes, as well as in various cereals. When buying bulk food products in supermarkets or at the market, it is better to carefully examine them for the presence of pests. You constantly need to sort through potatoes and cereals in order to detect insects in time. Bulk food products are best stored in transparent containers.

The beetle can easily enter through open windows and doors, so you need to take measures to prevent this from happening. It is better to install mosquito nets on windows, and hang tulle or other fabric on open doors.

Almost every person has sometimes encountered harmful insects in their living space. The appearance of such a problem is not a pleasant one, so pest control must begin at the first sign.

The ground beetle is a pest of cereal crops, damaging wheat, rye, barley, some varieties of oats, and sometimes corn

Main characteristics of bread ground beetle

The bread ground beetle belongs to the order of Coleoptera insects. The number of these pests is constantly increasing. Although they have hard wings, most varieties do not fly at all.

Adult:

• It measures 1.4–1.6 cm.
• The body is oblong, similar to an oval.
• They have a dark color with a slightly pronounced metallic tint. There are also
• bronze and brown tints.
• There are small antennae.

Larvae:

• They reach a length of 1.5 cm.
• The body is light in color, the head is brown.
• Most often, this pest lives in fields, causing great damage to various crops. Not only adults, but also their larvae are harmful.

The bread ground beetle larva has three instars, which differ in the size of the head capsule and body

Reasons for appearance

A ground beetle can appear in an apartment completely by accident. Their larvae are carried home with dirty shoes or dusty old furniture. Sometimes an insect can enter the house on its own. The most common causes of occurrence are:

1. Bright light. Insects love bright rooms and if there is no mosquito net installed on the windows, they can easily enter the room.
2. Animal food. If a pet lives in a cage, then it can be very dirty. You should clean the house as often as possible, otherwise there will be an unpleasant smell and scattered food will attract the attention of insects. It is recommended to keep cereal feed in sealed containers.
3. Old wood. Ground beetles love to settle in old trees. This can be a frame, window sill, balcony and furniture.
4. Products. Insects love to settle in a variety of cereals, potatoes and flour. Uninvited guests are also brought into the living space along with the wood. For example, with wood for the stove.

Preventive measures

Daily wet cleaning helps prevent the appearance of unpleasant creatures. After all, dust, dirt and crumbs attract uninvited guests. If any old furniture or wooden objects are brought into the house, it is recommended to pre-treat them with appropriate insecticides. You can also simply treat with water and vinegar or baking soda.

Vacuuming your floors frequently will reduce the amount of dust in your home, especially under furniture and in corners, and you will notice the difference immediately

The bread ground beetle loves to live in cereals, flour and potatoes. After purchasing cereals, it is recommended to inspect them and pour them into glass containers. Flour should be sifted before use. It also needs to be stored in an airtight container. It is better to sort and wash the potatoes.

Quite often, these beetles enter houses through open windows. Therefore, mosquito nets must be installed on them. They reliably protect the room from annoying insects.

These simple tips will help protect your living space not only from ground beetles, but also from other unpleasant guests. After all, it’s better to keep things clean than to look for ways to destroy them.

We fight the pest

If a ground beetle appears in the house, it is not very difficult to get rid of it. To begin with, the favorite place of this insect is identified. During general cleaning, these areas should be thoroughly cleaned. To prevent insects from moving somewhere else, do not leave leftover food on the table and immediately wipe up all the crumbs. It is recommended to throw out trash from the house every evening.

All insects need to eat, so all debris, crumbs and dust need to be removed

Surfaces on which beetles often run are wiped with insecticides - “Dichlorvos”, “Karbofos”. These products are sold in hardware stores. There are also more affordable homemade substances. The favorite places of ground beetles are treated with soda or vinegar, which are diluted with water.

To ensure that uninvited guests are destroyed faster, products stored in open areas must have airtight packaging.

Temperature disposal methods

If a lot of ground beetles appear in cereals or flour, then it is better to simply throw out such products. But if it’s a pity to throw it away, you can get rid of insects using temperature effects.

There are 3 ways to help get rid of these pests:

• Calcination in the oven. Flour and semolina are calcined at a temperature of 50 degrees. Other cereals can withstand temperatures up to 110 degrees. We keep the bulk products in the oven for about 30 minutes.
• Exposure to ultraviolet light. Almost all pests do not like the sun's rays. It is enough to place the cereals under the sun and leave for several hours.
• Exposure to frost. Products are placed in the freezer or on the balcony if the temperature there is at least -15 degrees.

Keep food out of reach of beetles, i.e. in sealed jars, bags, boxes

After processing the cereals, the cabinets where they will be stored need to be washed with soda or soapy water. As a preventive measure, bags filled with pyrethrum are placed in the corners - this is a type of chamomile. The smell of this plant repels uninvited guests. Moths also do not like this grass.

Boric acid

Making boric acid bait is a good option for killing harmful creatures. After all, when using it, almost all insects die. The pest, having feasted on the bait, does not die immediately, but after a certain time. During this period, he manages to infect several more individuals. This method is good because the insect transfers the poison to their favorite place. Infecting not only adults, but also larvae.

To prepare the bait you will need to take pieces of paper. Powdered sugar mixed with boric acid is poured onto them. Instead of sugar, you can use flour, semolina, honey, etc. This bait is placed in the corners of food cabinets or in places where creatures are more common. Cereals and sweets attract them well.

Traditional methods

Insect destruction is also possible using folk remedies:

The best way is to pour bulk products immediately after purchase into glass containers that are hermetically sealed. During pouring, you should carefully inspect the cereals. After all, not all stores can guarantee perfect cleanliness, so it’s very easy to bring pests home.

Ground beetles can be found quite rarely in an apartment. But if they appear, then you need to deal with them immediately. After all, these beetles multiply very quickly, and the more of them appear, the more difficult it becomes to completely destroy them.

If you follow preventive measures, then uninvited guests will never appear in your apartment. It is also worth remembering that keeping the kitchen perfectly clean and periodically treating surfaces using disinfectants will not attract various pests. If an insect accidentally gets into such a room, it will not be able to get along in it. In this case, he will go looking for another place of residence.

When we see huge beetles, we fall into hysterics, disgust and fear appear. But not all are so dangerous to humans and vegetation. Many beetles feed on the larvae of small insects, freeing gardens and vegetable gardens from large-scale pest invasions; others, on the contrary, are these pests and cause enormous damage to forests, fruit trees, berries and agricultural land.

A beetle called the ground beetle is presented for our consideration. There is an opinion about its dual essence. Some, when they see it, try by all means to get rid of it, others consider the beetle harmless. We have to figure out how the ground beetle actually stands: a dangerous pest or a beneficial insect.

There are thousands of species of ground beetles in the world. On the territory of the Russian Federation, their number is about 3000, but their populations do not end there.

Every year, scientists discover new species that actively reproduce, develop and live in harsh climates. What does a ground beetle look like?

Appearance

Externally, the ground beetle has a number of features that distinguish it from other representatives of the fauna:

1. The sizes of the beetle are found in the range from 1 mm to 10 cm. These are quite large insects.
2. The color scheme of insects is different. There are individuals of matte black color, but in most cases dark ones (green, blue, brown) with iridescent tints predominate. This play of colors is created by transverse stripes located on the chitin of the beetle.
3. Based on body shape, ground beetles are divided into subgroups: homophrones - round with a wide shell and a convex belly; dripta, demetrius - they are characterized by an elongated, too narrowed body; scarites - beetles have two parts that are connected by a constriction, representatives of burrowing insects; jumpers are beetles with very long legs and fast speed.
4. The oral cavity is very developed. The shape and size of the jaws are different, depending on the type of food. Predators are equipped with strong, sharp tusks equipped with additional teeth. Herbivorous insects have blunt jaws, suitable for grinding food.
5. Depending on their lifestyle, ground beetles have different organs of vision. Burrowing representatives are characterized by small, undeveloped eyes or their absence, nocturnal ones have medium-sized eyes, and daytime inhabitants have large eyes.
6. Presence of antennae. Everyone has them, in the form of thin, segmented threads. The exception is the bambardier beetles, whose antennae are wide at the ends and resemble feathers or blades.

Ground beetles are very easily distinguished by gender. The main features are the presence of bristles on the anus and body proportions. Beetles are equipped with two pairs of wings. Upper hard fender flaps are used to protect the thinner rear fenders. The elytra cover almost the entire body of the ground beetle, fused in some species.

Insects use their hind wings very rarely. Only in cases of resettlement or in search of a female for fertilization. It is preferable for them to move on limbs, which are very strong, and in some representatives they are very long.

Food and habitat

Since ground beetles prefer to fly little, this means that they live on the ground. Their habitats can be the top layers of soil, roots of trees and grasses, holes under stones. Only a few species live in the crowns of bushes.

Active life can be daytime, nighttime or diurnal. But for the most part, they love the night, as it is easy for them to detect the victim and sneak up on it unnoticed. Ground beetles are often called runners, as they have the ability to move quickly and over long distances. During the day they prefer to stay in their shelter.

Important! In the fall, ground beetles hibernate, burrowing deep into the ground, foliage, and moss, and with the onset of warm weather, after the upper layers of the soil have thawed, they crawl out and begin the search for food and the reproduction process.

Thanks to its strong jaws, the common ground beetle feeds on a variety of foods, which it serves:

1. small caterpillars that are discovered during their run;
2. mollusks (snails) climbing on the lower leaves of bushes, grass near water bodies or in damp places;
3. earthworms;
4. small insects;
5. plant food.

In their genus, beetles can feed only on insects or only on vegetation, but there are mixed types that prefer both types of food.

The procedure follows the type of feeding of spiders, that is, extraintestinal digestion is applicable. The beetle quickly catches up with the victim, grabs it with its powerful legs, injects a toxic substance into it and holds it in that position. After some time, the hard tissues soften. In total, the process of eating and digestion lasts from 2 to 3 hours. After a meal, the predatory ground beetle may not eat for several days, burrowing into the ground.

The essence of a beetle is to fill its womb. Maybe the benefit for predators is noticeable, since it is an orderly for the forest and the outskirts of water bodies. Some species feed on the grape snail. The same cannot be said about herbivores.

The latter, in turn, are mainly destructive, living most often in fields. They can destroy the harvest of wheat and other grains, even eating the ears and grains themselves. Do not mind eating weeds, eating juicy greens, leaving only one stem.

Life cycle and reproduction

The average lifespan of ground beetles is 3-4 years. There are long-livers up to 5 years.

Each individual goes through four stages of the cycle:

• egg;
• larva;
• chrysalis;
• adult insect.

The mating season is in April. A sexually mature female lays up to 80 eggs at a time, covering them under leaves or burying them in the ground to a depth of 3 cm. The main factor for the fruitful appearance of larvae is the increased humidity and fertility of the soil. After two weeks, fairly large larvae (2 cm) are born, white in color, which changes to purple or black after a day.

Until the end of summer, the larva feeds exactly the same as an adult insect. From birth it is equipped with strong and powerful jaws. Having caught the victim, it buries itself in the ground and eats it. In August the larva becomes covered with a cocoon. She stays in this position for about 1 month, and under favorable conditions, this period is reduced. In appearance, the pupa resembles an adult. Molting occurs only in spring.

Kinds

The most common types are the following:

1. Bread. It is a pest of cereal crops. Often found in fields. Able to eat sprouted seeds of wheat and other grains. At the first signs of appearance on the crops, it is necessary to begin the fight.
2. Ordinary or garden. This species has purple, green, and golden colors. These individuals are primarily predators, and therefore play a significant role for humans and the environment.

Also on the territory of the country you can find: runners, bombardiers, quickies, jumpers, scarites, dulls, etc. The largest species is the Outstanding Ground Beetle.

Insect harm to humans and plants

We have already noted that some insects are harmful, and some are useful. What does this mean? The beetle family has poisonous specimens. This is a purple ground beetle, often called bread beetle. It penetrates into a person’s home and causes harm, but the poison is not dangerous to health.

Able to move quickly on long legs. When dangerous, it emits a characteristic unpleasant odor, which can cause diseases of the organs of vision. Scientists do not consider the emitted substance toxic to humans, however, it causes allergic reactions on the skin. Redness and swelling last for several days.

The purple insect causes problems not only for humans, but also for their garden plants, cereal crops, and homes, spoiling food supplies and indoor plants, and wearing away wooden structures. During the day they hide, and at night they lead an active lifestyle. They climb into bags of cereals and eat food crumbs from the floor. In addition, they can crawl onto a sleeping person.

This beetle is capable of reproducing right in the house, so it is better to destroy it at the first discovery, otherwise the hordes will grow hundreds of times. The collapse will resemble that of a cockroach invasion.

Fighting ground beetles

Before you begin destruction, you need to remember that some species are listed in the Red Book and therefore cannot be exterminated. Most specimens live on the Crimean Peninsula.

Despite this, many gardeners and gardeners, when they encounter an insect, begin to take measures to get rid of them. The fight must be carried out comprehensively, all known methods and methods must be used simultaneously. The entire procedure for expelling uninvited guests from the house and gardens usually ends with preventive measures to prevent a re-invasion.

Chemicals

Chemical treatment involves killing beetles in one or two steps. So, for farmland, treatment with insecticides is used during the ripening period of grain. The most popular products are Bazudin, Volaton, etc., which can be purchased from the manufacturer or at any hardware store if the scale is not large.

To expel ground beetles from an apartment, chemicals already known to everyone will be useful:,. They can be combined with an aqueous solution of vinegar and ammonia.

When carrying out chemical work, it is important to follow all self-defense rules and use special items:

• respirator;
• glasses;
• gloves;
• special clothes for working in the fields.

After the procedure, personal protective equipment should be thoroughly washed or disposed of.

Temperature changes

Used for indoor fighting. If the ground beetle has started and has multiplied significantly, you need to keep it away from food.

For this:

1. The cereals are calcined in the oven at a temperature of 50 to 100 degrees, then placed in an airtight container.
2. Warm up the grains in the sun. Leave under direct rays for some time.
3. Cereals can not only be heated, but also frozen. To do this, they are left in the freezer for several hours.

These manipulations should be accompanied by cleaning the cabinets. An aqueous solution of vinegar and boiling water will be useful for scalding dishes.

Preventive actions

Destroying ground beetles does not mean they will not return. It is important to provide the necessary barrier against them; for this they begin with garden work, since it is from there that the beetle enters the house. It is known that beetle larvae are located at a depth of 3 cm, so an excellent action would be to dig up the soil in the spring, before the larvae appear.

If the pest does get into the house, you need to follow these recommendations:

• Regularly carry out general cleaning with disinfectant, and look into every corner.
• When purchasing furniture, do a thorough inspection for bugs, as they may be hiding in woodwork.
• Inspect food products (vegetables, cereals, fruits) purchased at the market or in a store.
• Store bulk products in sealed containers. Review them from time to time.
• Do not leave the windows completely open even in hot weather; install mosquito nets.

By following these tips, you will minimize the number of individuals in your home.

Conclusion

Now we know how to identify a beetle if it has snuck into the house or settled in the garden. What types are found and are the most common and dangerous.

We looked at the main methods of dealing with them. But it is still worth remembering that they occupy a certain niche in nature and are even protected by the Red Book, so it would be better to prevent their spread near housing and grain crops.