Darkling Beetle Control: How To Get Rid of Darkling Beetles

This page is a general Darkling Beetle control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will see a great reduction in Darkling Beetles. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee a great reduction in your Darkling Beetle population.

If you have a large yard with pets or own a farm with a variety of animals, there is a chance that you may have noticed a little black bug, particularly around the droppings your pets or animals have been leaving behind. These beetles are known as Darkling Beetles and while they often go unnoticed in a yard since they tend to hide during the day and come out and feed at night, however, when they gather in large quantities they can be a big stinky problem.

Darkling beetles can be a damaging pest if left to its own devices. They are known to eat plants, destroy insulation, and carry disease. Darkling Beetles need moisture to survive as well as decaying materials or grain products, all of which can be found inside poultry houses close to the feeders and waterers.

Darkling beetles pose a number of health hazards to humans and are considered a disease vector to poultry. Prolonged exposure to these beetles by humans can result in asthma, dermatitis, allergic angioedema, and rhinitis. They also carry a number of parasites and pathogens that can affect poultry and humans.

If Darkling Beetles are congregating on your property, this guide can help. Use the expert advice and product recommendations in our treatment guide to control the Darkling Beetle infestation and get rid of them quickly and affordably.

Identification

Before treatment, you must first identify your beetles as Darkling Beetles. A dead giveaway is by their infestation location, which is usually inside piles of manure in poultry houses. Below you can find some of the characteristics of these beetles.

• Adults are convex and oval-shaped.
• Are brownish to black in color.
• Measure about 5.8 to 6.3 mm in length.
• They also have multi-segmented antennae.
• They have a large pronotum (the section between head and thorax).
• They have six legs.
• Larvae are about 7 to 11 mm in length.
• Are yellow to tan in color.
• And have a segmented body.
• Are circular in shape.

Use the image and description above to properly identify Darkling Beetles. If you are not totally sure, contact us and we will have one of our pros help you with correct identification.

Inspection

Once you have confirmed that you have Darkling Beetles, you need to perform an inspection to find out where the Darkling Beetles are located and what is attracting them. In many cases, the answer is clear, inside poultry houses and where manure is stored. During the inspection, you will search this area for possible harborage sites.

Where To Look

Search inside your property where manure is stored. Inside your poultry house focus on areas close to waterers and feeders. Search where the litter is lose and deep. But inspect under the litter this is where they will be found.

What To Look For

You’re looking for Darkling Beetles and their larvae. Adults and larvae are commonly found under any item that is just underneath or on top of the surface of the litter or close to lumps of manure. Adult beetles might be found in cracks and crevices or crawling on the walls where manure is stored. Larvae will be most commonly be found near feeders and waterers in poultry house litters. Once you have confirmed their presence, this is where you will apply treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed Darkling Beetle activity it is time to begin treatment. Remember to first read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Step 1 - Preparation

Since Darkling Beetles are so hard to control, you should first enact some IPM (Integrated Pest Management) techniques that include cultural changes to the environment and mechanical means to eliminate the infestation. In this step, you will do both to prepare the area for treatment.

Start by eliminating their food sources and filth areas where they like to hide. Do your best to remove animal droppings and properly dispose of them. Remove any debris, like stones, dirt clods, and bits of wood where they might hide in these areas.

If you have a poultry farm we suggest doing what you can to keep the litter dry. This may include checking pipes and waterers for leaks. Prevent wet spots under waterers. If you notice that feed has spilled, clean it immediately.

Keep a downtime between flocks of at least 2 weeks (all in, all out programs work best) and completely clean and disinfect the building and equipment between flocks. If the litter is removed during the winter, allow the barn temperature to drop below 45°F, which will kill beetle eggs. All stages of the beetle are killed by temperatures below 30°F.

Step 2 - Indoor Treatment with Pivot 10 IGR & Cyonara 9.7

Since most infestations happen indoors (where manure is stored) this is where you will apply treatment. We recommend using Cyonara 9.7 and Pivot 10 IGR. Cyonara 9.7 will be used to kill the adult population of beetles, while Pivot 10 IGR will target the undeveloped stages of Darkling Beetles (such as larvae, and eggs).

We suggest mixing the products together and applying at the same time. Start by calculating the square footage of the area you wish to treat so you know how much product to mix. You can do this by measuring and multiplying the area length and the width (length x width = square footage).

The rate of Cyonara 9.7 to use is 0.8 fl. oz. per gallon of water to cover 1,000 sq. ft. Pivot IGR's rate can vary from either 4mL, 8 mL, or 12mL in one gallon of water per 1,500 sq. ft. It is recommended to use the higher rate depending on the severity of infestation.

In a sprayer, fill halfway with water and then add the appropriate measured amount of Cyonara 9.7, then fill with the remaining half of water and agitate to mix. Add the appropriate measured amount of Pivot 10 IGR to the solution and then shake the sprayer again until the solution is well mixed. You are now ready to spray.

If applying to a poultry house or indoor structure you should remove animals and litter completely. For best results, apply immediately after animals and litter are removed and just prior to new animal and litter placement. Apply product to walls, supports, cages, stalls, and around feeders. Also, apply inside cracks and crevices. 

Prevention

Once treatment is complete, it is important to enact some preventative measures to keep a Darkling Beetle reinfestation from happening. Here are some preventative tasks to complete to keep reinfestation from occurring.

• Start regularly cleaning and removing litter and as much organic matter as possible from the area where they were infesting. This will greatly reduce beetle populations. Especially if done in cold weather as sub-freezing temperatures will eliminate them.
• Address leaks and moisture issues around the property as Darkling Beetles need water in order to survive.
• Make preventative applications of Cyonara 9.7 on a quarterly basis to keep Darkling Beetles away long-term.

Key Takeaways

What are Darkling Beetles?

• Darkling Beetles (also known as lesser mealworms) are a common infesting pest in poultry farms because of their affinity for manure, litter or organic matter. They are known for causing damage to facilities and are a vector of various diseases.

How To Get Rid of Darkling Beetles

• Our top recommendation for treating Darkling Beetle is to begin with a preliminary cleanup of food sources for Darkling Beetles followed up by an application of Cyonara 9.7 Insecticide and Pivot 10 IGR. This combination of insecticides will address all phases of the Darkling Beetle life cycle.

Preventing Darkling Beetle Reinfestation

• To keep Darkling Beetles from returning, maintain cleanliness around your property, address moisture issues and conduct preventative applications of Cyonara 9.7 every 2 to 3 months.