If you’re wondering what attracts beetles to your home, look no further than the fact that they need the same basic requirements as humans – food, water and shelter. Although this search for the essentials results in many species being destructive or considered nuisance pests, there are other species of beetles that are beneficial in nature. But regardless of their nature, where do beetles come from and what attracts them to your area? Below is a list of the most common things that entice beetles to your yard or welcome them into your home.

1. LEAVING YOUR LIGHTS ON.
Most types of beetles are attracted to standard ‟white” lightbulbs. Beetles that can crawl or fly are easily drawn to indoor and outdoor lighting.

2. LEAVING YOUR TRASH BINS OPEN.
What most people find disgusting, beetles tend to find appealing. Garbage – especially rotten fruit and vegetables – can be a magnet for a variety of different types of beetles. In fact, there are few things that attract beetles more than garbage.

3. LEAVING FOOD PRODUCTS UNCOVERED.
Beetles don’t distinguish between garbage in your trash can and food you may have sitting out on your kitchen counters. If you want to prevent them from swarming all over your food, keep it covered and tightly sealed.

4. INVITING OTHER BUGS IN YOUR HOUSE.
Sometimes, what attracts beetles will surprise you. They eat many different kinds of insects. Soft-bodied insects – such as aphids – are a delicacy for many species of beetles.

5. MAKING POOR LANDSCAPING CHOICES.
Blooming flowers, fruit trees and other types of budding plants provide the sweet nectar that many kinds of beetles find irresistible. Plant these types of flora in your yard and you can expect beetles to be at your doorstep.

6. GOING OVERBOARD OUTSIDE.
Sometimes, in the quest to remove potential beetle harborage areas outside, homeowners go a bit too far. For example, getting rid of the natural food sources and breeding sites outside of your home may cause beetles to seek shelter where you least want to find them – inside your home.

7. WHERE THERE'S MOISTURE, THERE ARE BEETLES.
During periods of drought, it’s common for beetles to migrate to water sources inside your home. Roof leaks, plumbing problems and excess humidity provide beetles with the moisture they need to survive. In the case of wood-destroying beetles, wood with high moisture content provides a food source for beetle larvae. Over time, these beetle larvae chew away at the structure and other wood in your home, which can lead to extensive and costly damage repairs.

The list of what attracts beetles is long and varied, but now if someone asks you, ‟Where do beetles come from?” you can answer with definitiveness. If you still need help figuring out what’s attracting beetles to your home, call the pest management specialists at Terminix® today.