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At night, in our rental house where the table lamps light up the ceiling, we get dozens of these bugs. One night I counted 28. Anyone know what they are?
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Locally called blister beatle. If they make contact with your skin a water blister will appear. Later can become infected if not cared for. We use to spray windex or other insecticide in vacuum cleaner, suck me up and let them die. They are attracted to light at night. Their cycle seemed to last a few weeks to a month then gone. We moved Mauka and don't see them here. Like all creatures I'm sure they have their benefits to nature. To me they were a pain in the arse, or wherever!
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Great - thanks for the ID. Guess I'm lucky as I was using a rubber slippah to squash them on the ceiling, then swept them up, without any ill effects. Tonight we just turned on the kitchen overhead light, which is a cool white, and they are gathering there vs the warm lighs in the living room. They seem to prefer that cool light. By morning they are gone back to wherever they go.
The house geckos, kermit and HG2 (thinks he's gangster, hence the name), have no interest in eating them. Now I know why!
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"Locally called blister beatle. If they make contact with your skin a water blister will appear."
I'm pretty sure that isn't entirely accurate.
The blisters will appear on your skin only if you aggrivate them or try to smash them on your skin.
-You know, a type circumstance where you feel something crawling on you and you absentmindedly try to brush it off?
That's how the blisters happen.
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If you do end up with a blister from one of these beetles, pop the blister as soon as you notice it. It might sting a bit at first after you pop it, but it will heal quicker. The longer a blister is left unpopped, it will get larger and take longer to heal. We have sucked them up in the vacuum at night and have also put fly strips near lights they are attracted to to kill them.
Wahine
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When the termites do their swarming thing we put a bowl of water under a light. The termites see the light reflection on the water and fly into it and can't get out. I don't know if this would work for the beetles, but it's worth a try.
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Blister beetles are easy to kill. I get a small piece of tp or paper towel, and grab them and squish them. If they are up high, a small piece of tape, in a loop with sticky side out, and stick it on a broom handle, or similar, then just touch them, they stick to the tape, and squish them. They are not all flighty like a fly.
Jon in Keaau/HPP
Jon in Keaau/HPP
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We use the vacuum cleaner attachment. They all seem to die overnight. They are great at squirming in thru doors and windows. Keep lights dim, they are attracted to the light. DO NOT use a bug zapper: they will be drawn in droves, but then they just hang around the zapper without actually going in getting killed.
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Those mosquito zapping racquets work well on blister beetles as well.
They can be pretty effective on most bugs. Even big roaches. If the fist zap doesn't get them just hold down the button for continual zapping and burning bug electrocution complete with lovely charred bug smell.
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quote:
Originally posted by ElysianWort
Those mosquito zapping racquets work well on blister beetles as well.
They can be pretty effective on most bugs. Even big roaches. If the fist zap doesn't get them just hold down the button for continual zapping and burning bug electrocution complete with lovely charred bug smell.
Mmmmmm, crispy critters.
Don't be an sesquipedalian, Eschew Obfuscation.....
Sometimes, when I see the neighborhood children make small discoveries of their own, I wish I were a child.
With apologies to Dr. Seuss
Don't be an sesquipedalian, Eschew Obfuscation.....
Sometimes, when I see the neighborhood children make small discoveries of their own, I wish I were a child.
With apologies to Dr. Seuss
