In Valley homes, beetle problems usually come down to two kinds: pantry beetles in dry food and carpet beetles in closets. Outdoors, the slow black “stink beetles” you see in spring are harmless.
Which beetle do you have?
- Pantry beetles. Tiny brown beetles found in flour, cereal, spices, pet food, and other dry goods.
- Carpet beetles. Small, round, and mottled. Their fuzzy larvae chew holes in wool, carpet, and stored clothing.
- Darkling beetles (“stink beetles”). Slow, black, and common outdoors in spring. They stick their rear in the air when disturbed. Harmless.
Where they come from
- Old or opened packages of flour, grains, spices, and pet food
- Birdseed and dried flowers
- Closets and storage with wool, fur, or feathers
- Under furniture and along carpet edges
- Lint and dust in vents and corners
With pantry beetles, the food is the source. The fix starts with finding the infested package.
What our treatment does
We identify the beetle, help you find the source, and treat the areas where they’re active, like pantry shelves, closets, and carpet edges.
What treatment can’t do
We’ll be straight with you: no treatment can save food that’s already infested. If the source package stays in the pantry, the beetles keep coming back. The same goes for closets: infested clothing or rugs need to be cleaned or removed.
What actually helps
- Find the source. Check every dry good in the pantry, including the back of the shelf, and throw out anything with bugs or webbing.
- Use airtight containers. Store flour, grains, cereal, and pet food in sealed glass or hard plastic.
- Vacuum the closets. Vacuum closet floors, shelves, and carpet edges regularly.
- Clean before storing. Wash or dry-clean wool clothing before putting it away for the season.
Common questions
How did beetles get into my pantry?
Most often they came home in a package from the store, then spread to other dry goods. Pantry beetles can chew through paper and thin cardboard, so one infested box can lead to many.
Are carpet beetles harmful?
They don’t bite, but their larvae chew wool, silk, fur, and feathers, and the tiny hairs on the larvae can irritate some people’s skin.
What are the black beetles in my yard in spring?
Those are darkling beetles, often called stink beetles. They’re slow, harmless, and eat decaying plant matter. When bothered, they raise their rear end and may give off a bad-smelling fluid.
Tips and tricks
Freeze it first. Pantry beetle eggs can already be in food when you buy it. Freezing new flour, grains, or birdseed for four days kills any eggs before they have a chance to hatch.
Get help with beetles
Finding beetles in your pantry or closets? We’ll identify them, find the source, and give you an honest plan.
Other pests we handle: Scorpions, Cockroaches, Ants, Spiders, Rodents, Crickets, Stinging Insects, Bed Bugs, Flies & Gnats, Mosquitoes, Ticks & Fleas, Centipedes & Millipedes, Silverfish, Pillbugs & Sowbugs. See the full pest library.