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Adult carpet beetles feed on flowers, but the larvae feed on any material made from animals such as silk, leather and fur causing damage to your expensive clothing by leaving holes. The larvae also cause irritation to your skin with their bristly hair. Adult carpet beetles will lay their eggs on any fabric and the larvae will eat their way out causing damage. It is vital to have proper identification for ultimate carpet beetle control.
Sawtooth grain beetles are brown in color and have a flat body. The adults are about 1/10 of an inch. These beetles do not fly, are not attracted to light and they have six “saw-like” projections on their body. These beetles are not found in grains, but instead like to attack products made with grains like cereals and macaroni. They will also infest pet food and products with oilseed such as nuts. They contaminate and destroy your pantry food.
Adult drugstore beetles are about 1/10 inch, light brown or red brown and cylindrical. Adult drugstore beetles can be distinguished by their rapid movement. They have distinct grooves in their wing covers. The larvae can be mistaken for white maggots. Commercial food facilities provide warmth and food for drugstore beetles. These pests fly and are attracted to light and food. They infest grains, seeds, flour, pet foods, books, leather, wool, hair, and even drugs.
Warehouse beetles are ⅛ inch long and have oval-shaped bodies that are black. Their outer wings are hair-covered.. Larvae are yellowish-white and can grow up to a 1/4 inch in length and are distinguishable by the tufts of hairs that line the body. Females lay eggs and the resulting offspring go through a life cycle that takes anywhere from two to four months to complete. In cases of food shortages or poor environmental conditions, warehouse beetle larvae can slow their development by molting numerous times before deciding to pupate. In fact, warehouse beetle larvae have been known to remain in suspended development for over a year in unfavorable conditions.
Confused flour beetles are reddish-brown in color and about 1/8th inch. They are often mistaken for the red flour beetle. Females lay sticky eggs on food source. This tacky exterior of the eggs collects fine particles and broken grain, which coats and protects them until they hatch. Larvae then feed on the surrounding food until pupating and emerging as adults.
Confused flour beetles infest grain and grain products. In homes, these pests can live in crevices inside pantries and kitchen cabinets where food is spilled. Confused flour beetles feed on finely milled starches such as flour or meal. They do not feed on whole or undamaged kernels and need ground grain to survive.
Red flour beetles are 1/8 inch long, reddish-brown in color. They are flat and oval and can fly short distances. Red flour beetles have distinctive antennae that looks like a club.
The adult beetles move rapidly when disturbed. Females lay sticky eggs on fine materials and broken kernels. The eggs are covered with a sticky secretion which the fine material adheres to. These larvae feed on fine materials and broken grain kernels. The period from egg to adult averages about six weeks under favorable weather conditions, but is greatly prolonged by cold weather, as is true of all grain pests.
Grain beetles usually come from infested food that you unknowingly bought at a grocery store. Since they are usually are brought in on infested packaged food, only when you open will you know of the infestation. If you do purchase something infested with beetles, report it to wherever you bought it and avoid that brand going forward. Keep dried foods in sealed, air-tight containers which will help the infestation from growing.
If grain beetles have found their way into your pantry, then the first step is to throw away any infested food and do a thorough cleaning. Dispose of any food that may have been contaminated. Then take all the remaining uncontaminated items out of your cabinets or pantry so you can deep clean the shelves. If you have shelf liner, throw it away and clean where it was. Don’t forget to vacuum the cracks behind your molding. It only takes a few grains of food to attract a population of warehouse beetles. Once everything is clean and you’re ready to restock, store food in tightly sealed containers made of glass or hard plastic. Note the brand of food you purchased that was infested and let your local grocery store know. And of course avoid that brand in the future..