Wacky Pest Wednesday: Beetles

Hey all you Tri-County Pest Control fans—a very happy Wednesday to you!  We’re back with another edition of Wacky Pest Wednesday, and today we invite you to join us as we cover many critters that share a common name: the beetle!

Beetles are not a specific species, but rather a large group of different kind of beetles that share the same name.  Indeed, the term “beetle” is used as an order on the level of scientific classification—which if you don’t recall from your high school biology class—simply means that it is a term that encapsulates thousands and thousands of different species.  Scientists to date have discovered over 350,000 species of beetles, and many believe that there are thousands of others out in the world that we haven’t seen yet!

Despite this staggering number of beetles, there are a few that you should keep your eye out for.  For example, the Japanese beetle, bark beetle, and Asian longhorned beetle are all pests that you should be wary of.  However, this should not mean that all beetles are pests, as the ladybug—a very friendly critter—falls under the category of beetle.  As a general rule, beetles that you find in your home or in your garden (besides that of the ladybug) should be treated as a pest. Better to be safe than sorry, and it is always better to take the proactive route before those critters go to town on your garden or pantry.

Did you know that the beetle has had an important place in ancient civilizations of the world?  Some ancient Egyptians believed that the sun rose as a result of a beetle pushing it into the sky, and as a result, regarded the scarab (a type of beetle) with the utmost significance and reverence.  Furthermore, the actual scientific name for the order of beetles (Coleoptera) was coined by Aristotle himself, as the word in Greek means “sheathed wing.” So, know that you are certainly not alone in dealing with the infamous beetle.