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Reading time 3 min Published 03/28/2021
These bugs are most likely those that live and feed on various cereals, etc. Their appearance has nothing to do with windows. You find them on the windows only because they fly into the light and die there on the windowsill. In other parts of the apartment, you simply don’t notice them against the general background. I don’t know what these creatures are called. I recommend checking your food supplies to find the source of breeding such cohabitants. Most often, such guests are brought into the house along with packages of provisions and do not necessarily breed somewhere. In small quantities they cause little harm, but no benefit either.
There are no cracks on the plastic windows, so they have nowhere to go, so they are immediately visible.
I started asking myself this question a long time ago. When we lived in an apartment with wooden windows, there were no such bugs. After we bought an apartment with plastic windows installed, I began to notice that small brown bugs were constantly appearing on the windowsill. Their location is in the corners of windows; if I put something on the windowsill, then I find a bunch of dead bugs. I already notice that sometimes they crawl along the walls of the apartment, and they can also fly. It’s the same with my parents; before there were ordinary windows, there were no such bugs. Now they inserted plastic ones and these bugs started crawling. After searching the Internet, I found out that this is a so-called bread grinder. They feed mainly on cereals, flour products (crackers, flour), and dried fruits. You can get rid of it by doing a general cleaning of the kitchen. Throw away all old food, sort through cereals, dried fruits (or better yet, throw everything away). And subsequently store all cereals, flour and all bulk products in hermetically sealed jars. And what they began to notice specifically on the windows is because the bugs are dark in color, and the window sill is white. And I also like to dry old bread on the windows, so they probably appeared.
Owners of plastic windows in modern apartments may from time to time notice the sudden appearance of small brown bugs on their windowsill. This insect is somewhat reminiscent of a ladybug, only several times smaller. They do not pose any particular danger or harm to humans, but their appearance can cause a lot of other troubles. They are clearly visible against the white background of the plastic window sill, so it’s hard not to notice them.
Varieties
Before you take on the destruction of uninvited guests, you should determine what type of insect has appeared. This could be a grinder that feeds mainly on wood products and is especially fond of old furniture. It is also quite possible that a flour-eating beetle will appear, which prefers cereals and flour. The size of the beetles is no more than 2-4 mm, and the color is brown or dark yellow.
In addition to wood, the grinder feeds on old books, which it grinds into dust and lays eggs there; later its larvae also live there. Flour eaters are slightly smaller than grinders and much more omnivorous. In addition to flour products and cereals, they also feed on books and wooden furniture.
In addition to the above-mentioned individuals, the carpet beetle can also move into an apartment. It is no longer considered as harmless as the previous ones, since it can cause a lot of harm, and is also unsafe for human health.
Who are skin beetles?
Specialist coleopterologists classify this small insect as a member of the order Coleoptera. It has a brown sometimes black color. The insect is small oval in shape. The entire body is covered with short, stiff hairs.
Brown beetles are divided into four large classes, each of which contains from two to eight species. According to this classification, there are more than 600 species.
Types of bugs, what do they eat?
The following types are most common in apartments:
- ham (the most common is almost black in color);
- carpet (uses organic compounds);
- fur coat (has a black color with several white dots on it. Prefers crumbs, food scraps, table waste. The adult lives using accumulated nutrients);
- Kozheed Smirnova (brown in color. Settles in wooden structures: door and window frames, wooden floors and wall decoration, in furniture elements);
Any household items serve as a breeding ground for them: from organic compounds (leather goods, fabrics, books, furniture, carpets, waste products) to synthetics.
The diet includes: cardboard, felt, rubber, cable braid, asbestos structures. Capable of eating indoor plants and flowers. They can cope with almost all plant foods.
The grain beetle is capable of destroying nuts. Various types of grains and cereals, bran flour and products made from them. Ham specializes in meat and fish products.
Let's celebrate! Despite this omnivorous nature, small brown bugs are able to go without food for a long time. It has been established that this period can last up to five years. In this case, their biological processes slow down, but they remain viable.
Methods of disposal
You can eliminate such a problem as beetles living on the windowsill or elsewhere in the apartment without resorting to expensive chemicals. It is enough to discover the breeding ground and get rid of it.
You should move all the furniture and carefully inspect it for cracks, crevices, and rotten areas. Next, you need to go through all the books, and especially old copies. Conduct an audit of products: cereals, flour, crackers, dried fruits, etc.
Small bark beetles love sweets the most, so you should check there first.
Once an insect nest has been discovered, it should be eliminated along with spoiled food. Cereals, dried fruits, flour, etc. must be thrown away immediately. If bugs are found in furniture, the damaged area must be thoroughly cleaned of debris and treated with a special wood protection agent. It is also better to get rid of books or bake them in the sun if they are of value.
To eliminate pests, you can also use chemicals, for example, boric acid, which should be rubbed into the affected areas. There are other substances sold in stores in the form of sprays, aerosols, gels, etc. The procedure should be repeated several times a month, and the treated areas should be washed a day after each manipulation.
Big Khrushchak
According to the biological classification, Khrushchev beetles belong to the Darkling beetle family, numbering 11 species, of which only 3 are common in Russia and Moscow.
Khrushchak is a large black beetle up to 1.8 cm long, its body is flattened, and there are only 6 legs (3 pairs). The color of the body is black-brown and shiny, the abdomen has a reddish tint. Females lay 200 eggs. into the nest. The pest larva (popularly called a mealworm) is larger in size, up to 2.5 cm, and brownish-yellow in color. It feeds on grain, flour and bran. As the larva grows, it undergoes 4 molts.
The flour beetle chooses as habitats in the apartment those that are located near its favorite food. In nature, they prefer to live in tree hollows or rotten parts. The beetle's main diet consists of animal food (the corpses of small mammals and insects) and plant food.
Big and small Khrushchak
Prevention
Everyone knows that it is much easier to periodically carry out preventive measures than to get rid of already established parasites. At least several times a year, you should do a general cleaning, move away large furniture, wash behind and under it, wipe off dust from objects and vacuum thoroughly. Books also need periodic revision.
Any cracks or chips found on furniture must be treated and sealed. Cereals should be stored in glass or plastic tightly closed jars or well-tied plastic bags. If food is stale, it is better to get rid of it immediately so that brown bugs do not appear there later. The shelves on which food is stored also need to be periodically wiped and dried.
If you find small brown insects on the windowsill or anywhere else in the apartment, you should not panic. Most likely, these are carpet beetles or borers. They do not pose a serious danger to humans, but you should get rid of them as soon as possible so that they do not cause damage to furniture, books, clothing or food.
Insects that have taken a fancy to your windows are not only an unattractive sight, but can also be carriers of various infections. Therefore, if you notice them, immediately begin to solve this problem. You can find out about the most effective ways to control arthropods below.
Do not put off fighting insects until later - over time there will be more of them
Why do they appear and where do they live at home?
Most often, skin beetles enter a home in the summer through an open window. They are brought from another room when transporting upholstered furniture, books, herbariums, and other collections. When buying flowers in a pot, you also run the risk of acquiring a pest straight from the store.
Depending on the species in the apartment, they can live anywhere. Carpet beetles do not choose a specific corner for themselves. Hard-to-reach places become their refuge, where they lay larvae that feed on dust. Kozheeda Smirnov can be found not only on window sills, but also in lamps. Bugs love dry air; they thrive in dresser drawers, cabinets, sofas, and mattresses.
How to prevent insects from appearing on windows
Before we talk about fighting insects, let's consider the reasons why they appear and ways to prevent their occurrence.
So, in homes, midges most often appear on windows, or rather, Drosophila flies. These are absolutely harmless insects, however, they are annoying and unpleasant. Moreover, they reproduce very quickly.
Meet the Drosophila fly, or just a midge
As a rule, fruit flies appear on windows for the following reasons:
- leftover food. It is enough to leave a half-eaten apple, a slice of watermelon or a banana skin on the windowsill, and fruit flies will immediately appear on the window. Therefore, make sure that food is not left open indoors.
Leftover fruit is the favorite food of midges
Ways to fight
Among the most effective ways to combat insects are the following:
Method 1: open traps
To get rid of midges on windows, as well as wasps and some other arthropods, you can make open traps with your own hands. To make them, use saucers or lids for jars.
In the photo - an open insect trap
The point of the trap is that the insect must fall into a sticky bait from which it cannot escape. Therefore, you can pour into a saucer:
- syrup;
- a solution of sugar in water with the addition of a small amount of yeast;
- sweet juice
You just need to place the traps on the windowsill and rinse them periodically, discarding the bait along with the insects that have fallen into it.
Plastic cup trap
Method 2: closed traps
Another way to get rid of arthropods is to make closed traps. The instructions for making them are also extremely simple:
- prepare a container with bait . To do this, you can use a plastic bottle or a plastic glass. You should put several pieces of rotten fruit in it, for example, an apple;
- make holes in the container . You can use scissors or an awl to make holes. Their diameter should be such that midges can get inside the bottle;
Plastic bottle trap
- Close the container hermetically. If a glass was used as a container, it can be covered with a cellophane bag. As a result, midges will be able to get inside the trap, but will not be able to leave it.
Glass jar trap
You can make an effective closed trap from a glass of leftover yogurt, which attracts insects well. Another effective solution is a trap made of a glass jar with a paper funnel inserted into it.
For the most effective control of insects, two types of traps should be placed on the windowsill. From time to time, closed traps should be rinsed and then bait should be placed in them again.
A bird feeder will keep insects away from the outside
Method 3: Bird Feeders
Often in private houses, and sometimes in apartments, you can see a lot of bedbugs on the windows - why? This usually happens during cold periods, i.e. in the fall. The wood bug strives to get into the heat and flies towards the windows.
This insect is also absolutely safe for humans, however, it is unpleasant. In addition, it can emit an unpleasant odor.
Wood bug - popularly known as the stink bug
Don’t know how to get rid of bedbugs on windows in such a situation? Feed the birds near your home. For example, you can hang feeders. In addition, windows should be protected with a mosquito net.
Treating the premises after getting rid of insects
If the fight against arthropods is successful, you need to take some steps to avoid encountering them again in the near future:
- we do the cleaning . Places where insects have accumulated must be washed using detergents;
Wash windows using detergents - this will get rid of traces of insects
- sorting out the products . Storage areas for vegetables and fruits also need to be washed. In this case, it is necessary to sort out the products. If rotten vegetables or fruits are found, they must be disposed of;
- We are taking preventive measures . We install the net and make sure that there are no food residues left in the room.
Small Khrushchak
The small flour beetle has a brown or red body color and causes considerable damage to the food supply of a person in an apartment. It is widespread in Russia and Ukraine, where it often causes spoilage of grain in granaries, mills and other places where bulk products are stored.
The red-brown beetle is smaller in size (up to 3.6 mm), but it loves to settle in various food supplies in the apartment: flour, nuts, dried fruits and other plant fruits.
We suggest you read: How to get bugs out of your home
The larva of the small beetle has a flat shape and a length of up to 7 mm, the body color is yellow-brown (light or dark shades), the head is flattened. The body is covered with hairs and ends with 2 spines. The pupa is painted light yellow, and its body is shiny and completely naked. The development cycle of the flying black beetle is 20-120 days, and the growth rate directly depends on the amount of food and living conditions.
