Drugstore Beetle

Category: OLI
Minimum Life Cycle: Eight weeks.
Distribution: Worldwide.
Biology:
Eggs - Female deposits 20 to 100 eggs on suitable nutrients.
Larvae - Feed on most stored commodities, spices, and cereal products. 
Adults - Do not fly.

beetle
Figure 21. Drugstore beetle.

Drugstore Beetle (Stegobium paniceum). The drugstore beetle, an Anobiid beetle, is somewhat similar to the cigarette beetle in habits. It has the reputation as a biscuit beetle or bread borer and develops on a wide variety of grain and food products, including spices, dried macaroni, drugs, and paper products. Internal symbionts aid in converting food to more nutritive materials. The sex pheromone is available for detection and monitoring. The insect can be found worldwide (Figure 21).

(Slide and top caption courtesy of Degesch America, Inc.)