TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 What's this bug? Why's it and lots of his mates living under the laminate floor in my kitchen? Where did it come from? Most importantly how do I kill him and all his mates (I mean mass extermination, I'm done with squishing them individually) They're all about the same size, and so far I must have squished about 30 of them over the last couple of days. I've checked behind all the cupboards and the kickboards and can find no evidence of them, but then one of them will magically appear on the floor. I know the area that they seem to be coming from, but what can I do to kill them? I've tried Dettol antibacterial spray, which does seem to kill them, but it may just be drowning them. I tried spraying the area where they appear to be coming from (which seems to be under the laminate flooring where it finishes under a cupboard) but they obviously aren't too bothered with it. Any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Looks like death-watch beetle. Oo-er Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 I revise my previous answer.... I now go for 'Bark beetle, Ernobius mollis'...still oo-er though. It eats wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 I thought it could be some kind of miniature cockroach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 I revise my previous answer.... I now go for 'Bark beetle, Ernobius mollis'...still oo-er though. It eats wood. Don't think it's one of these:- http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.koleopterologie.de/gallery/FHL08/ernobius-mollis-foto-weisenboehler.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.koleopterologie.de/gallery/FHL08/ernobius-mollis-foto-weisenboehler.html&h=400&w=600&sz=42&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=nR1EEHwzdKLSnM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3DErnobius%2Bmollis%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official_s%26sa%3DG Maybe one of these? (slight variant...) http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/newslides/024072013001apd.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.cedarcreek.umn.edu/insects/album/024072013ap.html&h=500&w=356&sz=203&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=PnjLE5Ug6q-J5M:&tbnh=130&tbnw=93&prev=/images%3Fq%3DCucujus%2Bclavipes%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-GB:official_s%26sa%3DG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardiffSupra Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Spray some ant/bug killer around the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra steveo Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 I've just had pest control in my flat i killed a cockroach in my kitchen then caught one on the way out the kitchen heading for my little boys room that one was left in jug to die of starvation the little git anyway when pest control tipped up the German guy got very excited saying he had never seen one that size and it was American, well guess where down stairs is from, so he put down some poison in the spots where he thinks they would be moving to and from then told me he will be back in the new year to kill the babies, so now I've ripped the cupboards apart and bleached the lot and didn't find anything hopefully I've got them in the nick of time and there is nowhere for them to live now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supra steveo Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Spray some ant/bug killer around the place. been told that stuff doesn't work, the stuff you need is poison it looks like toffee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Is your laminate floor on top of traditional floor boards and joists ? Whatever they are, these bugs may well be wood borers. Better safe than sorry and treat them as such ?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 It's laminate on a concrete base. The flat is only 2 years old. So what's considered to be the most effective method of bug genocide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 It's laminate on a concrete base. The flat is only 2 years old. So what's considered to be the most effective method of bug genocide? Ahh, they will be the double-hard-bastard concrete beetle then, 'cementus vinnius jonsius'. Cant be killed, but you can trap em by leaving a biscuit tin with some curry and lager in it, and a little ramp, in the corner of the room over night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 It's typical. I've got wood beetles in my fake wood flooring. Perhaps it's trying to eat the chipboard cupboards.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Another contender....the Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium). Not a wood borer, but a beetle who likes dried foodstuffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 Hmmm possible. I did find a load in a bag of half open flour. But I've since binned any opened foodstuffs (just in case!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 Still, I expect no matter what they eat the way of dispatching them will be the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Hmmm possible. I did find a load in a bag of half open flour. But I've since binned any opened foodstuffs (just in case!) Maybe they confused floor with flour, hence their name Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DamanC Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Ahh, they will be the double-hard-bastard concrete beetle then, 'cemetus vinnius jonsius'. Cant be killed, but you can trap em by leaving a biscuit tin with some curry and lager in it, and a little ramp, in the corner of the room over night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian W Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 found one of them 'deathwatch' beetles on the stairs one day, absolutely shat myself!! this thing was about four times the size of that thing you've got and had massive pincers as well. chucked it outside cos apparently they eat spiders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 Another contender....the Confused Flour Beetle (Tribolium). Not a wood borer, but a beetle who likes dried foodstuffs. Just had a bit of a web search and I think we have a winner. I'm 90% sure it is a "confused flour beetle". (I though you were joking about the confused bit!) Right, next I need to work out where they're bloody living and how to make their stay as short as possible.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 Still, I expect no matter what they eat the way of dispatching them will be the same? Wood munchers... Fumigation or localised timber treatment (spray / brush / paste) Foodstuff gobblers... Fumigation DIY....god knows. We have used Nuvan Staykill before (for cat fleas) and that killed beetles / spiders too. You spray it around the skirting boards only. Its available from vets, but its not pleasant to use, and I wouldnt like to use it in a kitchen anyway although the instructions just say to cover all exposed foodstuffs. They may leave (fly away) eventually on their own accord if the food source is removed....I'm not sure though as I'm really a Naval Architect:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLicense Posted December 10, 2006 Author Share Posted December 10, 2006 ...I'm not sure though as I'm really a Naval Architect:) What are you saying? They don't teach "insects and their eradication" anymore on the naval architecture course. I dunno the state of the modern education system eh? LOL Cheers Ewen, you've been a big help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ewen Posted December 10, 2006 Share Posted December 10, 2006 What are you saying? They don't teach "insects and their eradication" anymore on the naval architecture course. I dunno the state of the modern education system eh? LOL Cheers Ewen, you've been a big help. Funnily enough, I was taught about Gribble Worms and Teredo Worms when I was a boat builder. The teredos are bad buggers, and leave effin big holes, around 10mm in diameter:blink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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