Humpback beetle
| Humpback beetle | ||||||||||||
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Humpback beetle ( Gibbium psylloides ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Gibbium psylloides | ||||||||||||
| ( Czempinski , 1778) |
The humpback beetle ( Gibbium psylloides ), better known as a pest under the name ball beetle , belongs to the family of rodent beetles (Ptinidae). It is distributed worldwide, but occurs only sporadically, but then often in large quantities. It is best known for its frequent appearances in old buildings.
features
Beetle
Its spherical shape is conspicuous and therefore also eponymous. The body length of the adult animals is 1.9 to 3.4 millimeters. The elytra are glossy and smooth and brownish to red in color. The beetle has long, 11-segment antennae , legs and the ventral side are densely hairy. The sides of the head below the small eyes are up under the front edge of the neck shield fluted. The beetles are unable to fly and live for about a year, although the males can also get considerably older.
Eggs
The eggs are white and oval in shape and measure approximately 0.6 × 0.5 millimeters. They have a sticky surface. The eggs are laid in clutches of up to 200 pieces.
larva
The larvae are white and up to 3.5 millimeters long. The total development time from egg (deposit) to larva (pupation) is about three months and includes four larval stages.
Way of life
Both the larvae and the adult beetles feed on (mostly dry) animal and vegetable remains and fruits (especially grain), but also on textiles, wool and dead, dried-up insects. The beetles can tolerate drought well, but prefer to move to damp places. The beetles are mainly found in old buildings with dark, damp, enclosed building elements. Old warehouses, bakeries, compost heaps, bird nests and the like are used.
They are often very common, especially in older houses with wooden beam ceilings and cavity fillings. Especially after refurbishments or renovations of living spaces, there can be increased migration. In many places, the beetles are unpleasant roommates of people, and their occurrence in large numbers can certainly lead to impairment of the quality of living.
Damage potential
The humpback beetle is interpreted by the pest controller as both a hygiene and a material pest. Their occurrence in large quantities can lead to massive impairments in the quality of living. But food supplies are also attacked and contaminated with residues. Damage can also occur from nest building activities that damage adjacent materials such as fabrics and paper. Combating is considered extremely difficult.
literature
- Harde & Severa: The Kosmos Beetle Guide. Franck´sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, Stuttgart, 1988. ISBN 3-440-06959-1
- W. Jacobs / M. Renner, Biology and Ecology of Insects, Stuttgart 1998, Fischer Verlag, page 497
- Engelbrecht / Reichmuth, Pest and their control, Hamburg 1997, page 242
- W. Stein, Storage pests and domestic pests, Stuttgart 1986, page 242
- Jan Zuska, House and Storage Pests, Prague 1991, page 115
- R. Pospischil, The Ball Beetle, The Practical Pest Killer, February 2005, page 4
Web links
- Gibbium psylloides in Fauna Europaea