Churchyard Beetle (Blaps mucronata)

The Churchyard Beetle is a beetle of the darkling beetles family (Tenebrionidae) found living in dark places such as old cellars, sheds and barns, theyused to be fairly common in homes where they would live below floorboards and scavenge any crumbs which fell through the gaps. When alarmed these beetles lower their head and raise up on their rear legs as if they are about to do a handstand. If provoked too much they will shoot a foul smelling fluid from their rear ends.

Identification:
Adult beetle, approx. 30mm in length. Black in colour with the exception of the mouthparts which have an orange fringe. Active at night, during April to September.

Biology:
Eggs are normally laid singly in the soil and hatch into elongate larvae tapered toward the end. Pupation occurs in the soil. The life cycle is usually completed within a year, although adults may live 2 to 3 years or longer.

Control:
Not considered a public health pest, proofing of doors and removal of harbourages will discourage this casual intruder from entering buildings, wall/floor junctions can be treated with a residual insecticide labelled for crawling insect use.

Products to control Churchyard Beetle: