Biscuit beetle fly11/22/2023 Their larvae dig into any commodity containing meat products, where they go into the pupal stage and eat. Larder beetles feed on high-protein materials, including animal skin, furs, and feathers, as well as cheese, dry pet foods, cured meats, dried fish, dried museum specimens, dead insects, and small mammals or birds. Larder beetles are related to carpet beetles, but they don’t look the same. Just like the adults, these worm-like larvae are also densely covered with hairs. Larder beetle larvae are about 1/2 inch long, reddish to dark brown, and have a pair of curved spines (called urogomphi) on their last abdominal segment. The underside of their body is white and is covered with fine yellow hairs. What Do Larder Beetles Look Like?Īlso called moisture beetles, adult larder beetles are 1/4-1/3 inch long, with a dark brown or black oval body.Īs compared to other house beetles, they have a cream to the yellow band across the top of their wing covers with six dark-colored spots. These tiny beetles are commonly found in homes, mills, livestock facilities, museums, and any place that has a suitable food source. Scientifically known as Dermestes lardarius, larder beetles are cosmopolitan insects, which means they are widely distributed as commercial and household pests around the world. Buy food packages only those that are properly sealed and have no sign of damage.To help prevent re-infestation, store your food in airtight glass, plastic, or metal containers.You may also use sticky traps such as Catchmaster Insect Trap & Monitors.For small quantities of infested materials, heat them in an oven at 190☏ (87.8☌) for about an hour or at 120☏ (48.8☌) for 16-24 hours.To kill all stages of drugstore beetles, place infested items in a freezer at 25☏ (-3.8☌) for 7 days or at 36☏ (2.2☌) for 16 days or more.Wrap heavily infested items inside a heavy plastic bag and throw them away.Once you do, here are some simple ways to get rid of drugstore beetles: The best way to start is to find where larvae are or an area where an infestation is about to start. This is why both of them are quite easy to eliminate. How Do I Get Rid of Drugstore Beetles in My House?Īdult drugstore beetles and larvae feed on the same food. However, these wood borers are nuisance pests indoors and can cause severe damage to stored food products, artifacts, as well as shipping containers. They are also not known for biting people and are not considered dangerous. Are Drugstore Beetles Harmful to Humans?ĭrugstore beetles are not harmful to humans, and they don’t carry diseases. Why Are There Drugstore Beetles in My House?ĭrugstore beetles are very attracted to light at night, which is why you can find them in almost every place in your home, including the bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, pantries, and living room.īut in most cases, people accidentally bring them inside their homes when they buy infested food and store them for a long time. Surprisingly, they also eat non-food items including hair, leather, wool, museum specimens, and almost anything except steel. But then, these small flying beetles also eat a wide variety of foods such as bread, chocolate, flour, and spices. What Do Drugstore Beetles Eat?ĭrugstore beetles mostly feed on pharmaceutical drugs, hence the name. On the other hand, both of their larvae are creamy white, about 3/16 inch long, and have a C-shaped body with very short hair. In the naked eye, they can be mistaken for bed bugs.ĭrugstore beetles look the same as cigarette beetles (Lasioderma serricorne), except that their antennae end in a 3-segmented club while the antennae of cigarette beetles are serrated. Their cylindrical body is covered with fine silky dense hairs, and their head seems to be invisible when viewed from above. What Do Drugstore Beetles Look Like?Īlso called the biscuit beetle or bread beetle, adult drugstore beetles are 2.25-3.5 mm (1/10-1/7 inch) long and are mostly brown to reddish-brown. Indoors, adults can be seen flying around while their larvae usually spend their entire life inside various stored products. Scientifically known as Stegobium paniceum, drugstore beetles are one of the most common stored product pests around the world, especially in tropical regions or in heated structures. Top 5 Tiny Flying Beetles in the House 1.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |