Darkling Beetle Control: How To Get Rid of Darkling Beetles

This page is a general darkling beetle control guide. You will see a great reduction in darkling beetles using the products and methods suggested. Follow this guide and use the recommended products, and we guarantee a great reduction in the number of darkling beetles in your 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 when they gather in large quantities, they can be a big stinky problem.

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

Darkling beetles pose several 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 several 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 their infestation location, 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.
• They are brownish to black.
• Measure about 5.8 to 6.3 mm in length.
• They also have multi-segmented antennae.
• They have a large pronotum (the section between the head and thorax).
• They have six legs.
• Larvae are about 7 to 11 mm in length.
• They are yellow to tan in color.
• And have a segmented body.
• They are circular in shape.

Use the image and description above to identify darkling beetles properly. If you are unsure, 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 inspect them to find out where they are located and what attracts them. The answer is often 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 loose 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 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 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 read all product labels, follow the application instructions on them, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Step 1: Preparation

Since darkling beetles are so hard to control, you should first implement some integrated pest management techniques, including 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 filthy areas where they like to hide. Do your best to remove animal droppings and properly dispose of them. Also, 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, preventing wet spots under waterers, and cleaning feed spills 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 degrees Fahrenheit, which will kill beetle eggs. Temperatures below 30 degrees Fahrenheit kill all stages of the beetle.

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

Since most infestations happen indoors (where manure is stored), you will apply treatment. We recommend using Cyonara 9.7 and Pivot 10 IGR. Cyonara 9.7 will 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 and applying them 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. Measure the treatment areas' length and width in feet and multiply them together (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 4 mL, 8 mL, or 12 mL in one gallon of water per 1,500 sq. ft. Depending on the severity of infestation, it is recommended to use the higher rate.

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

When 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 before new animals and litter are placed. 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 preventative measures to prevent a darkling beetle reinfestation. Here are some preventative tasks to complete.

• 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 to survive.
• Make preventative applications of Cyonara 9.7 every quarter to keep darkling beetles away long-term.

Key Takeaways

What are Darkling Beetles?

• Darkling beetles (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 vectors of various diseases.

How To Get Rid of Darkling Beetles

• Our top recommendation for treating darkling beetles is to begin with a preliminary cleanup of food sources, followed by applying Cyonara 9.7 Insecticide and Pivot 10 IGR. This combination of insecticides will address all phases of the darkling beetle's 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.