Infestations of stored product pests are usually
caused by bringing infested food home. Although
adults are often found, it is the larvae that damage the
commodity. Stored product pests are either beetles or
moths, and are grouped as pests of whole grain, grain
products and beans, and general feeders.
Rice weevil - 2mm to 3mm
long and reddish-brown. The thorax has round pits, and
the wing covers have four light spots. It usually attacks
whole corn, but has been found in macaroni and spaghetti. The life cycle can be completed in 30 days.
Lesser grain borer - 3mm long and dark-brown to black. lts head is hidden
beneath the thorax. The thorax is very rough, and the
overall shape of the beetle is cylindrical. It attacks
whole grain. The eggs are laid in clusters on the surface,
and the larvae burrow into the kernels. The life cycle
takes about 58 days.
Flour beetles - The two major species are the red flour beetle and the confused flour
beetle. They are reddish-brown and 3mm to 4mm long.
The antenna of the red flour beetle has a three-segmented club; the antenna of the confused flour beetle
has a four-segmented club. Red flour beetles fly; confused flour beetles do not fly. They infest flour and
milled grain. The life cycle takes about 30 days.
Sawtoothed grainbeetle - about 2.5mm long and is brown. The body
is flattened, and the thorax has six sawtoothed projections on each side. It is common in cereal products and
macaroni. Because it is small, it can enter packaging
through tiny cracks and folds. It cannot fly and its life
cycle takes about 30 days.
Cigarette beetle - 3mm long and reddish-brown. The head is bent down
under the thorax; the antennae do not have a club. The
wing cover is smooth and covered with golden hairs.
Besides attacking tobacco, it infests spices, seeds and
dog food. The life cycle takes 30 to 50 days.
Drugstore beetle - 2.
mm long and brown. It has a three-segmented club on
the antennae. The wing covers have longitudinal lines.
It infests flour, cereal, spices, dog food and many other
products. It has a life cycle of about 60 days.
Weevils - The bean weevil is
olive-brown mottled with dark-brown and gray and 3mm long. It has one large and two small spines on
the tip of the hind femur, and the legs and antennae are
reddish. The cowpea weevil has a large spot in the
middle of the wing cover, with black tips on the wings.
These weevils attack stored beans and peas. The life
cycle can be completed in 21 to 80 days.
Mealworms - 13mm long, are the largest insects attacking stored grain.
The yellow and the dark mealworms are the two most
common species. They are shiny-black with well-
developed wings. They fly and are attracted to light. The life
cycle can be completed in 10 months.
Almond moth - It has a wing-spread of about 15mm. The wings are brownish- or
blackish-gray with the base lighter than the wing tip,
which also has a fringe of hairs. The almond moth
infests dried fruit and nuts. The life cycle can be
completed in 60 days.
Indian meal moth - It has a
wingspread of about 19 mm. The wings are tan on the
basal one-third and coppery-colored on the rest. The
larvae spin webs on the infested product. The life cycle
can be completed in 60 days.
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