Black Beetles! 😞

Candy53

  Hi everyone, 

I wondered if someone could help me with black beetles that fly into my house at night, when it gets dark. 

They're really freaking me out now. Other years, they have come around May time, and lasted for about a month, but this year they started in early June, and haven't gone away yet. Plus, we're getting alot. Earlier tonight, I killed 6. One was on my leg! I've had one on my arm one night, and my armchair.

I do have windows and back door open with it being so hot. I've tried bug netting in the past but couldn't  get it attached to the pvc windows. 
I've read that they don't like peppermint?? It said online to spray peppermint oil on skirting boards, but with it being an oil I don't want to spray furniture, or carpet. No point in putting it on windows, as they fly in.

Why aren't they going away now? And is the peppermint the way to go?
Just killed another one! I closed the windows and door few hours ago so I don't know why I've got such a flurry of them.

I'm so tense every night, watching out for them.

Thanks
Candy

Chloe_G

Are they June bugs?

Katiehound

or are they rape beetles- think that's their name. You get clouds of them when they are harvesting the rape and they go onto bright yellow/ lime green/ white clothes. Generally they are a bit earlier than this.

my only suggestion would be to have open windows & curtains closed, and don't open the curtains when you switch lights on.

Candy53

Thanks for replying. I don't know if they are called rape beetles, but we do live in a village surrounded by fields, so perhaps they are. We've just called them black beetles. Yes we have now started to shut all windows an doors when it's getting dark, and it has helped, but it's difficult when it's hot. It's been nearly 2 months now and they're not going away, and I just don't understand why. My husband put tubs of water on the doorsteps outside, and in the morning it's full of dead beetles, so we're carrying on doing that.

Candy. 

greyteam1959

Flea beetles.
They are a right pest in the garden eating things like radishes turnips & brassica seedlings.

Candy53

Oh right. Trouble is I don't know how to upload pics on here, because in old days you weren't allowed, only with special permission, plus we don't have WiFi so it could cost me. They are just over 1 centimeter long, so not tiny things. We have them every year. It's awful because they fly in but we never see them do it but I do hear them dropping onto the carpet sometimes.

Candy

Katiehound

You can upload photos directly in your reply by clicking on the mountain icon- where it says 'attach image' when you click on the drop down. I attach from my camera memory card  via the computer. I guess there are more ways to do it.

twopenny

Just because all those names are so horrible iin Australia May bugs are called Christmas bugs.
Do they seem nicer now? :-)
Net curtains and tension rods so you can take them down. 

greyteam1959

If they are 1 centimetre long they are not flea beetles.
Flea beetles are maybe 2 or 3 mm in size 

Silvertabby

We have pet screens attached to our (upvc) windows and patio doors.  Primarily to keep our pedigree house cats in, while being able to open the doors and windows, but they do double duty as flying beastie keeper-outers.

www.streme.co.uk

Candy53

Ah right, that's something I could look into. There are many now. My husband found a dozen in the tub we leave outside the back door, numerous underneath the bins. And, still getting them in the house. Just got one a few minutes ago. I'm going to see if I can get a good photo tomorrow morning if there are some more in the tub. Can't get them on the go because they run so fast. 

Candy