Adult drugstore beetles are reddish-brown beetles about 1/8 inch long. Drugstore beetles are not picky eaters and have been documented eating just about everything. Their wings are covered in rows of hair, similarly to the cigarette beetle. Drug Store Beetle image licensed under CC. The elytra cover the membranous flight wings and form a straight line down the back. Drugstore Beetle and Larvae. The grapevine beetle has light orange color with few black lines and dots. Their lifespan depends on the temperature and available food. Females lay up to 75 eggs in the food or substrate. The life cycle of drugstore beetles takes about 75 days to complete, depending on the conditions of the surrounding environment. Cleaning up crumbs and spills immediately. A flashlight will help with the inspection. Take the Outdoors Back with Hulett’s Mosquito Reduction Service. How can the picture be of an actual size beetle? Appearance: Drugstore beetles have segmented antennae. When the larva hatches, it eats and grows. Sanitation or location and elimination of the source of infestation are the only long-term controls. Because they can infest such a variety of materials, they can become a problem in more than one part of a home. A pest management professional can offer advice and alternative methods. They have strong jaws that enable them to chew through hard surfaces, such as foil or wood. Learn more about the types of cookies we use by reviewing our updated Privacy Policy. Females lay up to 75 eggs in the food or substrate. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies to analyze website traffic and improve your experience on our website. Homes in South Florida are in need of spider control due to the prevalence of the creepy crawlers throughout the region. Like flour beetles, drugstore beetles are often found in places where food is stored and will contaminate these areas when they become infested. I understand my consent is not required to make a purchase. These eggs take about nine days to hatch and become larvae. Those eggs are usually laid in dried foods, such as cereals, dried fruit, grains, herbs, and nuts. Size: Approximately 3 – 4 mm long. All Rights Reserved. It also enjoys feasting on non-food products such as wool, hair, leather, and even metals. Hulett Response to Coronavirus. Store-bought pest control products are not recommended around food items.
Caption: Adult drugstore beetle, size- 1/8 inch. The drugstore beetle gets its name from its love of feeding on prescription drugs. Photo by: M. Bush : Drugstore beetle (revision date: 7/14/2015) Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful pest management. This pest will eat almost anything, and actually has a drug problem. The Household Casebearer: Plaster Bagworms. Picture of Drugstore Beetle. At the end of the larval stage, which takes about 60 days, larvae form small, silky balls that are used as cocoons for protection. Inside the cocoon, it takes more than two weeks for the larva to change to an adult. By clicking the “Get Started” button, I authorize Orkin to contact me about their services at this number using an auto dialer. If your problem persists, calling pest control professionals may be the solution, as they will have a wider range of options to help rid your home of the drugstore beetle or other insects. Drugstore Beetle and Larvae. Adults can be found at windows and light fixtures, as they are attracted to light. Also, be sure to clean pantry and cabinet shelves with a vacuum. Found through the world, these destructive pests can destroy grains, seeds, and other dried foods. Anything that is infested should be wrapped in plastic and promptly discarded. In a warm climate, drugstore beetles can produce as many as four generations per year. Precautions should be taken at home and when purchasing food in stores. Keep items stored in a refrigerator or use airtight containers. Attic Abatement, Cleanout and Restoration, Basement and Crawl Space Cleanout and Restoration. Keep dry pet foods away from the general pantry area and in a tightly-sealed container. Cleaning up crumbs and spills immediately. They are often found in grains, packaged foods, and other plant and animal products. Incomplete treatment can allow survivors to re-infest. If the pests are not completely removed, they are likely to reemerge from their hiding places and start a new infestation. The... Every Homeowner’s Worst Nightmare: Spiders, Jul 22, 2020—Spiders, Tips & Control Advice, Tips & Control Advice. Adult drugstore beetles are reddish-brown beetles about 1/8 inch long. Quick Links. Caption: Adult drugstore beetle, size- 1/8 inch. If it is possible, store your food in airtight containers to keep the drugstore beetle out of your supplies. Larvae of the drugstore beetle start out as small, white grubs with short hairs and a straight line across their heads just above their mouths. COLOR: Most drugstore beetles are either a dark or reddish-brown. Although not nearly as common in drugstores now, they are reported to consume some prescription drugs in addition to foods and other materials. A Better Business Bureau Accredited Business. It gets its name from its habit of feeding on prescription drugs. The drugstore beetle thrives in warmer climates, but can be found worldwide, especially in climate-controlled structures. They can also survive for weeks without food. Super high-quality! Larvae are white grubs. These beetles appear to be small beetles, their length varies from 2.25 mm to 3.5 mm converting this to inches, they are 1/10 to 1/8 inches in length. The drugstore beetle (Stegobium paniceum), also known as the bread beetle or biscuit beetle, is a tiny, brown beetle that can be found infesting a wide variety of dried plant products, where it is among the most common non-weevils to be found. Kitchens and pantries are common targets, especially areas prone to spills and crumbs. Drugstore beetles infests many food products including: Drugstore beetles have even been found in products that are poisonous like strychnine. Size: The drugstore beetle is a small insect. Because of this, it is also sometimes referred to as the biscuit beetle or the bread beetle. How long a drugstore beetle lives depends on its food source and environmental conditions. Drugstore beetles do not bite, but they will chow down on your bread, flour, cereal, spices and pet food. The larval period ranges from 4 to 20 weeks. Their oval-shaped bodies have rows of pits that give them a distinctive lined appearance. The scientific name, paniceum, comes from the Latin word for bread. Call now. They are found all over the world (they are known as the biscuit beetle in the United Kingdom), but are most prevalent in warmer regions with temperate climates. Always check your food containers for signs of contamination. That works out to a tremendous number of offspring. (Kamran Iftikhar) CC BY-SA 3.0. The main concern with drugstore beetles is contamination of the products they infest. The pests do the most damage in their larval form as they live, eat, and excrete waste within the products they've infested. It should be applied only in cracks and crevices. Females will lay up to 75 eggs wherever they decide to drop them, which is most likely in a food source like grain. Suspect food should be placed in a freezer for at least six days.
Don't store excess foodstuffs, such as grains, cereals, baking mixes, nuts, etc. It is important to find everything that they have infested. The Household Casebearer, also known as the plaster bagworm, is a type of moth that is prevalent throughout South Florida. Maturing larvae cause the most significant amount of damage to stored food products and are harder to detect. There are nearly 60 different species of the eight-legged arachnids in the state. The Drugstore beetle attacks such a wide variety of foods and material that one anonymous quote states it will "eat anything but cast iron." Keep cabinet areas vacuumed, cleaned and well ventilated. Other signs include holes in packaging where the beetles have emerged and debris deposited next to infested items as the larvae feed. Most times, removing the source of the infestation is enough to manage the pest. Drugstore beetle identification. The adult is about 2 to 3.5 mm long. A pest management professional provides their expertise to identify the pest problem and determine the best possible solution to resolve the drugstore beetle infestation. This allows the drugstore beetle to thrive and reproduce easily, and also survive on food sources that lack nutrition. There is an array of food drugstore beetles like to eat including dried food products like flour, spices, cereal and pet food, medicine, leather, books and hair. Like flour beetles, drugstore beetles are often found in places where food is stored and will contaminate these areas when they become infested.