Seeing small black bugs in the kitchen can be a disturbing sight. In addition, its identification can also be difficult, since its species are varied. So what are the little black bugs found in your kitchen?
The tiny black bugs found in your kitchen could be one of the following species:
- grain weevils— feed on cereal grains.
- carpet beetles— feed on fabric and love to infest carpets.
- pharmacy beetles—feed on a variety of foods, from flour to bread and sweets to spices.
These insects are big consumers of food products in the home, as well as fabrics. While they are not known to cause illness, their presence can be a nuisance and damage your food and fabric items.
Keep reading to learn more about these tiny black bugs, including their identification and natural methods to get rid of them.
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Small black insects in the kitchen | I WENT
Seeing little black bugs in the kitchen is not a pretty sight. Other than that, they can cause a lot of damage, especially to your tissues and food.
grain weevils
- Size:2 to 3mm in length
- Form:Cylindrical
- Antenna:long elbow antennae
- Threat:They can damage stored grains and other dry foods.
- Habitat:Grain processing and storage plants
- Location in the kitchen:Pantry
Grain weevils are among the most damaging pests of seeds and grain products.Adult grain or barn weevils are cylindrical and about two to three millimeters long.
They have elongated heads with a well-defined nose that extends down from the head. These insects are shiny reddish-brown to black in color and have stiff wing coverts.
In addition, they have a characteristic thorax with oval cavities. Cereal weevils cannot fly, unlike maize and rice weevils.
Once the eggs hatch, a fleshy, legless, fluffy white worm emerges and nibbles on the kernel cores. This larva will turn into a white cocoon and then emerge as adult grain weevils.
carpet beetles
- Size:3.18 mm to 8.1 mm long (adult black carpet beetles) 8 mm (full-sized larvae)
- Form:oval form
- Antenna:two antenna
- Threat:They love to gnaw on clothes, carpets, furniture, and they can also cause an allergic reaction.
- Habitat:Carpets and carpet borders (indoor); nests or burrows of animals and birds (outdoor)
- Location in the kitchen:Pantry, wall voids, crawl space
Carpet beetles have round, firm bodies and wings under their shells.These beetles look like hairy worms with bands on their bodies. Additionally, they have long hair-like extensions on one or both ends of their bodies.
As the name suggests,carpet beetlesinfest carpets. They are also very harmful to other items such as:
- Lana
- For the
- Feathers
- Leather
Carpet beetles are attracted to materials that contain keratin and fibrous animal protein. These types of materials can be easily digested and are preferred by larvae.
In addition, carpet beetles prefer dead insects, hair, dried meat and peas. These bugs are difficult to control as it is difficult to locate the source of their infestation.
Therefore, the best way to deal with these beetles in your home is to reduce your food sources. Be sure to clean regularly to prevent a buildup of hair, dander, and other food material that carpet beetles love.
cockroaches
- Size:½ inch to 2 inches long
- Form:flat ovals
- Antenna:filiform antennae
- Threat:They spread disease by contaminating human food with germs.
- Habitat:Dark and damp places. They are often found behind refrigerators, sinks and floor drains. In addition, they also hide in cracks and crevices in walls.
- Location in the kitchen:Kitchen cabinets and countertops
Cockroaches are major pests not only in the home but also in restaurants, hospitals, warehouses and other food handling areas. Their excretion can stain surfaces and cause a bad smell.
In addition, they can also damage your paper and fabric products. In terms of characteristics, they have flat oval bodies, long thread-like antennae, and shiny black or brown leathery coats.
spider beetle
- Size:1.5 to 3.5 mm in length
- Form:oval or cylindrical
- Antenna:A pair of two long antennae.
- Threat:They are scavengers of stored food and can eat holes in packaging, leave cobwebs and pupae in food. Also, they can cause tissue damage.
- Habitat:Empty warehouses, factories, food processing facilities and museums
- Location in the kitchen:Holes in the wall, false ceiling and pantry
spider beetlesThey are reddish-brown insects with six legs and a pair of long antennae.They come in many colors, ranging from reddish brown to black and pale yellow to cream.
In addition, they prefer to feed on paper, feed, stored seeds, animal excrement, dead insects and wool. These beetles lay their eggs inside piles of rodent or bird droppings.
When the eggs hatch, the larvae begin to feed and grow. The larvae then begin to spin silken webs and silken cocoons to develop into adults.
flour beetle
- Size:3.16mm long
- Form:Body flattened, oval in shape.
- Antenna:Three-segment club-shaped antennas
- Threat:Infest flour and grain
- Habitat:Homes, supermarkets, shopping centers and food processing facilities
- Location in the kitchen:pantry, cabinets
flour beetlesThey are shiny, reddish-brown insects with flat, oval bodies that have wings.They use their wings to fly short distances and have distinctive antennae.
There are two types of flour beetles: the confused flour beetles and the red flour beetles. These two are commonly known to attack stored grains and pantry foods.
They usually feed on finely ground or broken starchy materials such as flour. In addition, adults and larvae feed on finely ground materials in warehouses, granaries and grain.
cigarette beetles
- Size:2 to 3mm in length
- Form:oval
- Antenna:serrated antennas
- Threat:They can damage items such as books, bindings, dried flowers, wreaths, and upholstered furniture.
- Habitat:Cigarette beetles thrive in tropical and subtropical regions. They are often found in areas where grain or other foods are stored.
- Location in the kitchen:Cabinets, shelves and pantries
Cigarette beetles are oval, yellowish-brown to reddish-brown insects that damage stored vegetables and tobacco materials.They have irregular antennae and strong wings, making them good fliers.
Their heads are tilted downwards, giving their bodies a hunched appearance. The larvae are smaller than the adult, worm-like in appearance and whitish in color.
They consume various plant and animal products. In addition, they also eat nuts, avocados and green bananas.
pharmacy beetles
- Size:2.54 mm long
- Form:Elongated oval body shape
- Antenna:serrated antennas
- Threat:contamination and infestation
- Habitat:Pharmacy, stored food
- Location in the kitchen:Kitchen pantries, cupboards
drug beetlesare insects commonly known to infest tobacco products.They can be found infesting areas prone to spills and crumbs and live inside stored food and other items kept in unsecured containers.
These beetles are closely related to cigarette beetles and are small, reddish brown in color. They love to infest the following:
- Grain
- old rodent bait
- Red pepper
- Flour
- spices
- Leather
- Animal fur
- Tobacco
- pet food
- Tea
As their name suggests, they are often found in pharmacies and taken into the home through food and often spread to other products.
butterflies indian food
- Size:19,05 mm
- Form:oval
- Antenna:serrated antennas
- Threat:Infestation and spoiled food
- Habitat:Stored food products including grains, dried fruit, pet food, and spices.
- Location in the kitchen:Crawlspaces and closets
Indian moths are one of the most troublesome pests of stored products.They love to consume powdered milk, nuts, pet foods, whole grains and dried fruits.
These pests can be brought into your home through stored food products. Additionally, they go through four stages during their life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The female moth can lay 200 to 300 eggs in a period of 1 to 18 days directly on food.
Natural methods to get rid of small black bugs
To get rid of small black bugs naturally, you can take the following ways:
oil of peppermint
Peppermint oil is one of the best ways to control small black bugs.This oil is also an effective repellant for ants, spiders and mosquitoes.
To create a peppermint oil solution, mix 10-15 drops of peppermint oil in 8 ounces of water in a clean spray bottle. After that, shake and spray the mixture on the openings, windows and doors.
Diatomaceous earth (DE)
Another natural way to deal with blackheads is to use diatomaceous earth or DE.It is made from crushed fossilized single-celled algae that are harmful to insects, particularly various types of creatures.
Just spray DE on the affected areas and reapply if needed.
Aceite de neem
Neem oil is effective in eliminating small black bugs as it contains antimicrobial compounds.It can kill insects by asphyxiation, masking their bodies with oil that blocks their breathing holes.
Just spray the oil on the areas where you usually see insects and wait for the result. Reapply as needed.
Related:Little black flies in your kitchen | how to get rid of them
What to spray on the little black bugs in the kitchen?
homemade basil spray
According to the Natural Society, basil can be a good insect repellant. To make a basil spray, you can follow these steps:
Step 1:Get six ounces of fresh, clean basil leaves. Put them in a container.
Step 2:Add four ounces of boiling water to the basil. Leave for a few hours.
Step 3:Remove and squeeze any moisture out of the basil leaves.
Stage 4:Once that's done, pour 4 ounces of apple cider vinegar into the basil and water mixture. If you have cheap vodka, you can use that instead of cider vinegar.
Step 5:Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray in areas where these bugs are present.
Spray neem oil insecticide
the compoundcauses insects to reduce or stop feedingcan prevent larvae from maturing, reduce or stop mating behavior. In some cases, the oil covers the insects' breathing holes, killing them.
Neem oil insect spray is one of the best spray products that kills and repels various types of insects such as kitchen bugs. This insect spray can cover the breathing holes of insects, effectively killing them.
Summary
Black bugs are pests that can damage your fabrics and spoil or contaminate your stored food. It is therefore essential to eliminate them immediately before an infestation occurs.
You can use natural methods such as peppermint oil and diatomaceous earth (DE). In addition, you can also use neem oil insecticidal spray or DIY basil spray.
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Russel, H. (2010).carpet beetles. Michigan State University.
Jacobs, S. (2017).spider beetles. PennState Extension.
Merchant, M., Vinson, B.S., Brown, W. (2018).flour beetles. Extension AgriLife by Texas A&M.
Pharmacy beetle, Stegobium paniceum. Oklahoma State University - Entomology and Plant Pathology.