How To Get Rid Of Cigarette Beetles

Insecticides can be effective against cigarette beetles, but unfortunately they are difficult to kill; they have a very unusual and varied diet, and are capable of digesting strychnine, rat poisons and other chemicals which would kill other household pests quite easily. They are even more difficult to kill than the nearly indestructible cockroach, as pyrethrum powder that is strong enough to kill the latter is digestible by the former. There are products on the market that work to stop cigarette beetles (for example, Rose Pest Solutions makes an insecticide that kills a wide variety of insects including cigarette beetles), but ridding the area of them entirely takes constant and persistent effort. It is recommended to take an attitude of prevention early on to avoid the unnecessary nuisance of dealing with a cigarette beetle infestation.

Facts about Cigarette Beetles

Cigarette beetles are a huge source of problems in pantries, kitchens and, of course, anywhere that there may be cigarettes or tobacco. They primarily feed on dried plant, animal or tobacco products, but are also known to eat paper products and cotton. Females lay between 30 to 100 eggs within the span of 3 weeks, and larvae hatch within 6 to 10 days. They are about 2 to 3 millimeters in length, have wings and are a brownish color, making them similar in size and appearance to drugstore beetles (in fact, they are often confused for drugstore beetles, which can make it extremely hard to determine what is the best course of action in the event of an infestation). However, do not let their small size deceive you; when an infestation of cigarette beetles are found, very big problems can arise very quickly.

Cigarette Beetle Infestation

If cigarette beetles are found, it is important to take prompt action as they act quickly. They then migrate to new food supplies so it is easy for them to spread out into different areas. Therefore, the quickest and easiest way to get rid of cigarette beetles is to get rid of their food supply. Remove all dried plant, animal and tobacco products and keep the areas where the insects were found clean to prevent further problems. Usually after the source is destroyed, the infestation will die off on its own if it hasn't been disposed of with it.

Stay pro-active about ridding your home of cigarette beetles; take immediate action should the problem of an infestation arise, and remember to take actions to prevent any further damage.