Flour Beetle	Carpet Beetle

Beetles

INTRODUCTION: Beetles are common pests that can be found in a variety of locations. Carpet beetles enjoy dining on carpets, woolen fabrics, dead insects, furs, hides, feathers, horns, hair, silk and bones. It can take 249 days to three years for carpet beetles to grow from an egg to an adult. Adult beetles live between 13 and 44 days.

Flour beetles are one of the most common pests of stored products found in the home and in grocery stores. In the United States, they're more abundant in Northern states.

RECOGNITION: Adults are reddish brown, about 1/8" long. Except for antenna and thorax differences, almost identical to red flour beetle.

Full-grown larva are yellowish white, about 1/8" to 1/4" long. Hard-bodied, cylindrical, wiry in appearance.

SIMILAR GROUPS: (1) Red flour beetles,
(2) Broadhorned,
(3) Black,
(4) Longheaded flour beetle,
(5) Lesser mealworm,
(6) Yellow and dark mealworms.

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BIOLOGY: The flour beetle female deposits about 300 to 500 clear-white, sticky eggs on or among food material in cracks, in bags or through the mesh of sacks containing food. The female lays two to three of these eggs per day. The eggs hatch go through 5-18 instars (usually 7-8) and reach maturity in about 30 days under optimal conditions.

HABITS: These beetles are unable to feed on whole kernels or undamaged grain. They have been recorded attacking grains and grain products, peas, shelled nuts, dried fruits, spices, milk, chocolate, drugs, snuff, cayenne pepper, and herbarium, insect and other museum specimens. They have been found to infest poisoned bait.

They're attracted to light but apparently do not fly. Flour beetles impart a disagreeable odor and taste to the flour they infest, although humans are not injured by it,.

CONTROL: Follow the standard control procedures for stored product pests.

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Or Call Toll-Free: 1-800-PEST-CONTROL (1-800-737-8266)

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